Shloka 28

Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ

On the Proper Acceptance and Merit of Śiva’s Consecrated Food-Offering

Devanagari script

बिल्वमूले दीपमालां यः कल्पयति सादरम् । स तत्त्वज्ञानसंपन्नो महेशांतर्गतो भवेत्

Transliteration

bilvamūle dīpamālāṃ yaḥ kalpayati sādaram | sa tattvajñānasaṃpanno maheśāṃtargato bhavet

Translation

శ్రద్ధతో బిల్వమూలంలో దీపమాలను ఏర్పాటు చేసే వాడు తత్త్వజ్ఞానసంపన్నుడై మహేశునిలో అంతర్లీనుడవుతాడు.

Word by Word

• बिल्व-मूले: at the bilva root
• बिल्व-मूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—बिल्वस्य मूले (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• दीप-मालाम्: a garland/row of lamps
• दीप-मालाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—दीपानां माला (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कल्पयति: arranges/makes
• कल्पयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स-आदरम्: with reverence
• स-आदरम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = आदरेण सह

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्त्व-ज्ञान-संपन्नः: endowed with knowledge of reality
• तत्त्व-ज्ञान-संपन्नः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्त्वज्ञानं यस्य सः/तेन संपन्नः (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीहिसदृशार्थः)

• महेश-अन्तर्गतः: merged within Mahesha
• महेश-अन्तर्गतः: Predicate-adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर्गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महेशे अन्तर्गतः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī/Viśveśvara is portrayed as the locus where Śiva grants tattva-jñāna and inner union; the lamp-garland (dīpamālā) symbolizes removal of avidyā and the dawning of knowledge by grace.

Significance: Dīpa-dāna at a Śiva-associated sacred locus is framed as leading to tattva-jñāna and ‘entering’ Mahādeva—i.e., deep interiorization culminating in liberation-oriented realization.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere lamp-offering (dīpa-dāna) performed with devotion becomes a means to tattva-jñāna—right understanding of reality—and culminates in inner absorption in Mahesha, the liberating Lord (Pati).

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

Lighting lamps is a classic upacāra of Saguna Shiva worship; by honoring Shiva’s presence through sacred symbols like the bilva (beloved to Shiva), the devotee’s mind becomes purified and fit for realizing Shiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dīpa-dāna by arranging a line/garland of lamps at a bilva tree with reverence, ideally alongside Shiva-nāma or the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as focused remembrance.