Shloka 35

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

गीतैर्वाद्यैस्तथा नृत्यैर्भक्तिभावसमन्वितः । पूजनं प्रथमे यामे कृत्वा मंत्रं जपेद्बुधः

Transliteration

gītairvādyaistathā nṛtyairbhaktibhāvasamanvitaḥ | pūjanaṃ prathame yāme kṛtvā maṃtraṃ japedbudhaḥ

Translation

భక్తిభావంతో యుక్తుడై రాత్రి మొదటి యామంలో గీతాలు, వాద్యాలు, నృత్యాలతో సహా పరమేశ్వరుని శివపూజ చేయాలి. ఆ పూజ అనంతరం జ్ఞాని భక్తుడు మంత్రజపం చేయాలి.

Word by Word

• गीतैः: with songs
• गीतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक; √गै/गाय् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by/with songs)

• वाद्यैः: with instruments
• वाद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वद् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with musical instruments)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/रीति-अर्थे (also/likewise)

• नृत्यैः: with dances
• नृत्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; √नृत् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with dances)

• भक्तिभाव-समन्वितः: endowed with devotional feeling
• भक्तिभाव-समन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त; √अन्वि/अनु+इ, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (भक्तिभावेन समन्वितः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle used adjectivally

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक; √पूज् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• प्रथमे: in the first
• प्रथमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in the first)

• यामे: in the (time) watch
• यामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in the watch/period)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); having done

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should recite

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (agent)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed mode of Śiva worship to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Nataraja

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Night-worship with music and dance cultivates bhakti and surrender; japa after pūjā stabilizes the mind and invites Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is approached most effectively through bhakti expressed in sacred arts (song, music, dance) and then stabilized through mantra-japa—devotion becomes both heartfelt worship and disciplined inner practice.

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

The verse describes a concrete pūjā sequence suited to Saguna worship—adoring Śiva as present and accessible in worship (such as the Liṅga) through offerings and praise, followed by mantra repetition that internalizes that same presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā in the first yāma with devotional singing/instruments/dance, then undertake mantra-japa—commonly the Śiva-mantra like the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—as a focused meditative continuation of worship.