Shloka 23

आवरणपूजावर्णनम् (Āvaraṇa-pūjā-varṇanam) — Description of Enclosure/Layered Worship

Devanagari script

बीजानि लोकपालानामेतैरेतान्समर्चयेत् । नैरृते चोत्तरे तद्वदीशानस्य च दक्षिणे

Transliteration

bījāni lokapālānāmetairetānsamarcayet | nairṛte cottare tadvadīśānasya ca dakṣiṇe

Translation

एतैर्मन्त्रबीजैर्लोकपालान् विधिवत् समर्चयेत् । नैरृतदिशि चोत्तरे तथा ईशानस्य दक्षिणेऽपि तद्वत् पूजनं कार्यम् ॥

Word by Word

• bījāni: seed-syllables / seeds
• bījāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा) or Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• lokapālānām: of the guardians of the worlds
• lokapālānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + pāla (प्रातिपदिक); lokapāla (समास)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• etaiḥ: with these
• etaiḥ: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• etān: these (ones)
• etān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• samarcayet: should worship / should honor
• samarcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + arc (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• nairṛte: in the southwest (quarter)
• nairṛte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used as direction-name (दिक्शब्द)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• uttare: in the north
• uttare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); direction-name (दिक्शब्द)

• tadvat: likewise / in the same manner
• tadvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय/तद्वत्)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• īśānasya: of Īśāna
• īśānasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• dakṣiṇe: in the south
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); direction-name (दिक्शब्द)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed Shaiva ritual procedure to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Refers to the bījāni listed in the prior verse for lokapāla worship.)

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Lokapalas
• Ishana (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that Shaiva worship is not random but ordered: the devotee harmonizes the directions (dik) through the Lokapālas and centers the rite in Īśāna—Shiva’s presiding sovereignty—so the mind becomes steady, protected, and fit for grace (anugraha).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Directional worship with bīja-mantras functions as an outer (saguna) support that consecrates the space around the Linga; by honoring the quarters and Īśāna, the practitioner treats the shrine as Shiva’s mandala, preparing for deeper absorption in the Linga as Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dikpāla-pūjā using the appropriate bīja-mantras, offering respectful worship in the specified directions (including south-west, north, and near Īśāna), as part of a structured Shiva-pūjā sequence before or alongside mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī.