Shloka 17

Śiva-Pūjākramaḥ — The Procedural Order of Shiva Worship

Pañcāvaraṇa & Upacāras

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माणि भोजनान्ते तु यावन्मन्त्रांश्च साक्षतान् । दत्त्वोत्तरापोशनं च हस्तांघ्रिमुखशोधनम्

Transliteration

brahmāṇi bhojanānte tu yāvanmantrāṃśca sākṣatān | dattvottarāpośanaṃ ca hastāṃghrimukhaśodhanam

Translation

உணவுக்குப் பின் விதிப்படி பிரஹ்மாணீ தொடர்பான மந்திரங்களை முறையாக ஜபிக்க வேண்டும். பின்னர் உத்தராபோஷணம் (இறுதி ஆச்சமனம்) செய்து, கை, கால், முகம் ஆகியவற்றைச் சுத்தம் செய்ய வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• brahmāṇi: Brahma-mantras/sacred formulas
• brahmāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhojana-ante: at the end of the meal
• bhojana-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (‘end of meal’); Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• yāvat: as many as/as much as
• yāvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (परिमाण/सीमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Correlative/limitative indeclinable, ‘as much as/so long as’

• mantrān: mantras
• mantrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

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

• sākṣatān: directly present/manifest
• sākṣatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sākṣat (अव्यय/विशेषणप्राय)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; adjective to mantrān, ‘directly manifest/present’

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having given’

• uttara-āpośanam: the subsequent āpośana (ritual sipping)
• uttara-āpośanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + āpośana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (‘subsequent sipping of water’); Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

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

• hasta-aṅghri-mukha-śodhanam: cleansing of hands, feet, and mouth
• hasta-aṅghri-mukha-śodhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + śodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (समाहार-द्वन्द्व: hands+feet+mouth) with śodhana as head; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General dharma-vidhi: post-meal mantra and purification acts that maintain ritual purity (śauca) for continued Śaiva practice.

Significance: Highlights daily-dharma discipline as supportive of Śiva-upāsanā; purity observances reduce pāśa (bondage) in the form of mala/karma-accumulation tendencies.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Referenced) ‘Brahmāṇī-related mantras’ (brahmāṇi-mantrāḥ) recited at bhojanānta; followed by uttarāpośana (post-meal ācamana).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It teaches that even ordinary acts like eating are to be concluded with mantra, ācamana, and purification—training the devotee to live with śuddhi (inner-outer purity) as a support for Shiva-bhakti and steadiness of mind.

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

Linga-worship emphasizes ritual purity and mindful completion of rites; post-meal ācamana and cleansing keep the practitioner fit for japa, dhyāna, and pūjā to Saguna Shiva without negligence of dharmic discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform uttarāpośana (post-meal sipping/ācamana) with the appropriate mantras, then wash hands, feet, and mouth—ending the act in awareness before resuming japa or other Shaiva practices.