Shloka 77

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

विघ्नेशो मातरो दुर्गा क्षेत्रज्ञो देवता दिशः आग्नेयादिषु कोणेषु चतुर्ष्वपि यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

vighneśo mātaro durgā kṣetrajño devatā diśaḥ āgneyādiṣu koṇeṣu caturṣvapi yathākramam

Translation

В четырёх угловых направлениях, начиная с юго-восточного, следует по порядку установить (призвать): Вигхнешy (Vighneśa), Матерей (Mātṛkā), Дургу (Durgā) и Кшетраджню (Kṣetrajña) — божество, владычествующее над сторонами света, — дабы четверти были освящены для поклонения лингаму Шивы.

Word by Word

• विघ्नेशः: Vighneśa (Lord of obstacles)

• मातरः: the Mothers (Mātṛkās)

• दुर्गा: Durgā (protective Śakti)

• क्षेत्रज्ञः: Kṣetrajña (knower/presider of the sacred field

• देवता: divinity, presiding deity

• दिशः: directions/quarters

• आग्नेय-आदिषु: beginning with the southeast (Agneya) and the rest

• कोणेषु: in the corner-directions

• चतुर्षु अपि: in all four (corners)

• यथा-क्रमम्: in proper sequence

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja vidhi to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Vighnesha (Ganesha)
• Matrikas
• Durga
• Kshetrajnadeva (Kshetrapala/Dik-devata)
• Directions (Dik)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It prescribes the protective and purificatory placement of deities in the four corner-directions, removing obstacles (Vighneśa) and establishing śakti-guardians (Mātṛkās, Durgā) so the ritual-field (kṣetra) becomes fit for Śiva’s liṅga-archanā.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is implied as the central Pati (Lord) whose worship requires a consecrated kṣetra; the directions and śaktis are harmonized around him, showing Śiva as the axis of order while Śakti and guardians regulate the manifest field.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A puja-vidhi step akin to dik-bandhana/kshetra-raksha: invoking corner deities to secure the ritual space before liṅga-pūjā, japa, or Pāśupata-oriented sādhana.