Shloka 26

व्यपोहनस्तवनिरूपण-प्रसङ्गे नक्तभोजन-शिवव्रतविधिः (वार्षिक-प्रतिमास-क्रमः)

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा तु प्रार्थयेत्परमेश्वरम् स याति चन्द्रसायुज्यं नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

brāhmaṇān bhojayitvā tu prārthayetparameśvaram sa yāti candrasāyujyaṃ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

బ్రాహ్మణులకు భోజనం పెట్టిన తరువాత పరమేశ్వరుడు (శివుడు)ను ప్రార్థించాలి; అటువంటి భక్తుడు చంద్రసాయుజ్యాన్ని పొందుతాడు—ఇందులో సందేహం లేదు.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान् (brāhmaṇān): brāhmaṇas

• भोजयित्वा (bhojayitvā): having fed/served with food

• तु (tu): indeed/then

• प्रार्थयेत् (prārthayet): should pray/supplicate

• परमेश्वरम् (parameśvaram): Parameśvara, the Supreme Lord (Śiva)

• स (sa): he/that devotee

• याति (yāti): goes/attains

• चन्द्रसायुज्यम् (candra-sāyujyam): union/identity with the Moon-world, lunar realm

• न (na): not

• अत्र (atra): here/in this matter

• कार्या (kāryā): to be done/necessary

• विचारणा (vicāraṇā): deliberation/doubtful consideration.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the phala of Shiva-upasana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahmanas
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It links Śiva-upāsanā with dharmic service: feeding brāhmaṇas (seva/dāna) purifies the pashu (individual soul) and makes the prayer to Pati (Śiva) immediately fruit-bearing, promising a specific post-mortem attainment (candra-sāyujya).

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

Śiva is addressed as Parameśvara—the supreme Pati who grants definite results to devotion; the verse stresses the certainty of His grace (“no deliberation needed”), implying sovereign bestowal of gati (destination) when approached through right conduct and prayer.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A puṇya-generating Shaiva practice: brāhmaṇa-bhojana (charitable feeding) followed by Parameśvara-prārthanā; it functions as preparatory purification akin to Pāśupata discipline—reducing pāśa (bondage) through dharma and surrender.