Shloka 12

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

आपोस्मानिति मंत्रेण जलसंस्कारमाचरेत् । नमस्ते रुद्र मंत्रेण फाटिकाबंधमुच्यते

Transliteration

āposmāniti maṃtreṇa jalasaṃskāramācaret | namaste rudra maṃtreṇa phāṭikābaṃdhamucyate

Translation

“ఆపోऽస్మాన్…” మంత్రంతో జలసంస్కారము చేయవలెను. “నమస్తే రుద్ర” మంత్రంతో ‘ఫాటికా-బంధ’ అనే రక్షాబంధన విధి చెప్పబడింది.

Word by Word

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āp (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (बहुवचनान्त), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचनम्; ‘waters’

• उत्: up/out (prefix)
• उत्: Upasarga (उपसर्ग/Preverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्गः (preverb)

• स्मान्: us
• स्मान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/उद्धरण-चिह्नम् (quotative particle)

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचनम्

• जलसंस्कारम्: water-consecration
• जलसंस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃskāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य संस्कारः)

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Salutation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (indeclinable interjection); नमस्कारार्थकः

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/चतुर्थी), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचनम्

• फाटिकाबन्धम्: the phāṭikā-binding (a ritual binding)
• फाटिकाबन्धम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phāṭikā (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (फाटिकायाः बन्धः)

• उच्यते: is called/said
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In the Viśveśvara-kṣetra (Kāśī), Śiva is praised as Viśvanātha, the Lord of the universe; ritual purity (jala-saṃskāra, protective bandhas) is emphasized as preparation for liṅga-worship in the supreme kṣetra where liberation is promised.

Significance: Purificatory rites and Rudra-mantras are held to make worship fit for receiving Śiva’s anugraha; Kāśī-darśana is traditionally linked with mokṣa and removal of pāśa (bondage).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: āpo ’smān … ; namas te rudra …

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-pūjā is not merely external: the devotee sanctifies the offering (water) through mantra, aligning the act with Rudra’s purity and making the worship a conscious, disciplined approach to grace (anugraha).

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

Consecrated water is central to Liṅga-abhisheka, a primary mode of worshipping Saguna Śiva. The verse frames abhisheka as mantra-guided service, where the offering becomes fit for the Lord through purification and protective sealing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests mantra-sādhana within pūjā: consecrate the abhisheka-water with the “Āpo ’smān…” mantra and apply the “Namaste Rudra” mantra for a protective binding (phāṭikā-bandha), maintaining purity and focus during worship.