Shloka 20

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

उच्चार्य्य स्कन्दगायत्रीं ध्यायेदथ कुमारकम् । उद्यदादित्यसंकाशं मयूरवरवाहनम्

Transliteration

uccāryya skandagāyatrīṃ dhyāyedatha kumārakam | udyadādityasaṃkāśaṃ mayūravaravāhanam

Translation

స్కంద గాయత్రీని ఉచ్చరించి అనంతరం దివ్య కుమారుడు స్కందుని ధ్యానించాలి; ఉదయసూర్యుని వలె ప్రకాశిస్తూ, శ్రేష్ఠ మయూరవాహనంపై ఆరూఢుడై ఉన్నవాడిని.

Word by Word

• उच्चार्य: having recited
• उच्चार्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having uttered/recited’

• स्कन्द-गायत्रीम्: Skanda-Gāyatrī (mantra)
• स्कन्द-गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्कन्दस्य गायत्री)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थक (then)

• कुमारकम्: the youthful one (Kumāra/Skanda)
• कुमारकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• उद्यत्-आदित्य-संकाशम्: shining like the rising sun
• उद्यत्-आदित्य-संकाशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (उद्यत् आदित्य इव संकाशः)

• मयूर-वर-वाहनम्: whose vehicle is the excellent peacock
• मयूर-वर-वाहनम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मयूरः वरः वाहनं यस्य/मयूरवरं वाहनम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Skanda-gāyatrī is referenced but not quoted in this verse.)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Kartikeya
• Skanda
• Kumara

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined sequence—mantra (Skanda Gāyatrī) followed by dhyāna—so the mind becomes one-pointed in a luminous, pure form (Skanda), which in Shaiva devotion supports inner purification and receptivity to Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

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

Though Skanda is a distinct deity, he is revered within the Shaiva family as Śiva’s son; meditating on Skanda’s saguna form is a supportive limb of Shaiva upāsanā, preparing the devotee for deeper worship of Śiva—whether as the Linga (symbol of the Supreme) or as personal, form-endowed Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Recite the Skanda Gāyatrī with clarity, then visualize Kumāra as sun-bright and peacock-mounted; maintain steady attention (dhyāna). This is a mantra-japa followed by form-meditation practice.