Shloka 22

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

मधुखंडस्नपनं प्रोक्तमिति पंचामृतं स्मृतम् । अथवा पाद्यमंत्रेण स्नानं पंचामृतेन च

Transliteration

madhukhaṃḍasnapanaṃ proktamiti paṃcāmṛtaṃ smṛtam | athavā pādyamaṃtreṇa snānaṃ paṃcāmṛtena ca

Translation

मधुशर्कराभ्यां स्नपनं प्रोक्तं, तत् पञ्चामृतत्वेन स्मृतम्। अथवा पाद्यमन्त्रेण स्नानं कुर्यात्, पञ्चामृतेनापि च।

Word by Word

• मधुखण्डस्नपनम्: bathing with honey and sugar
• मधुखण्डस्नपनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मधु-खण्डयोः स्नपनम्)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘said/declared’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उक्तिसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• पञ्चामृतम्: pañcāmṛta (five nectars)
• पञ्चामृतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च अमृतानि यस्मिन्/समूहः)

• स्मृतम्: is called/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि ‘is remembered/called’

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (alternative particle)

• पाद्यमन्त्रेण: with the pādya-mantra
• पाद्यमन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पाद्यस्य मन्त्रः)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पञ्चामृतेन: with pañcāmṛta
• पञ्चामृतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चामृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga-abhiseka instruction; pañcāmṛta-snāna is presented as a standard upacāra rather than tied to a single kṣetra.

Significance: Pañcāmṛta abhiṣeka is held to bestow puṇya, remove mala (impurity) and cultivate bhakti-sāttvika sweetness before Śiva.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: पाद्यमन्त्रेण स्नानं…

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that loving, pure offerings—especially pañcāmṛta abhiṣeka—are a direct, saguna mode of devotion to Shiva, where ritual purity and heartfelt bhakti become a means for inner purification and grace.

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

The verse describes prescribed substances and mantras for bathing the Shiva-linga, emphasizing that Shiva is approached in a worshipable form (saguna) through abhiṣeka, where the devotee’s reverence is expressed through sanctified offerings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shiva-linga abhiṣeka using pañcāmṛta (including honey and sugar) and/or while reciting the pādya-mantra; inwardly, maintain devotion and remembrance of Shiva as Pati (the Lord) who grants purification and liberation.