Shloka 14

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

Pārthiva-pratimā Pūjā-vidhāna — Procedure for Worship of an Earthen Icon

Devanagari script

तदष्टभागः प्रस्थः स्यात्तच्चतुःकुडवं मतम् । दशप्रस्थं शतप्रस्थं सहस्रप्रस्थमेव च

Transliteration

tadaṣṭabhāgaḥ prasthaḥ syāttaccatuḥkuḍavaṃ matam | daśaprasthaṃ śataprasthaṃ sahasraprasthameva ca

Translation

దాని ఎనిమిదవ భాగం ‘ప్రస్థ’ అని పిలవబడుతుంది; ఆ ప్రస్థం సంప్రదాయంగా నాలుగు ‘కుడవ’లుగా భావించబడుతుంది. అలాగే ‘దశప్రస్థ’, ‘శతప్రస్థ’, ‘సహస్రప్రస్థ’ కూడా ప్రసిద్ధం.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha/Reference (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; referential ‘that’

• अष्टभागः: one-eighth part
• अष्टभागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अष्टानां भागः / अष्टभागः = one-eighth part)

• प्रस्थः: prastha (a measure)
• प्रस्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha/Reference (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चतुःकुडवम्: four kuḍavas
• चतुःकुडवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + कुडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारः कुडवाः = four kuḍavas)

• मतम्: is considered/accepted
• मतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय) / मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘considered/accepted’

• दशप्रस्थम्: ten prasthas
• दशप्रस्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु (ten prasthas)

• शतप्रस्थम्: a hundred prasthas
• शतप्रस्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु (hundred prasthas)

• सहस्रप्रस्थम्: a thousand prasthas
• सहस्रप्रस्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु (thousand prasthas)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Provides a scalable measurement system (kuḍava–prastha and higher multiples) enabling graded offerings for different capacities and observances (including large-scale pūjās).

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that devotion (bhakti) should be supported by order and precision in worship—proper measures symbolize steadiness, purity, and attentive offering to Lord Shiva (Pati), aligning outer ritual with inner discipline.

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

Linga worship in the Vidyeshvara tradition includes regulated offerings (water, milk, naivedya). By defining standard measures, the text guides consistent, sattvic service to Saguna Shiva, where careful ritual becomes a vehicle for reverence and concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to keep offerings measured and orderly during Shiva-puja (especially on Mahāśivarātri), while mentally maintaining mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to unite action with remembrance.