Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 54

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

घृतेन तु यथा पूज्य सर्वकामहितावहम् । पुण्यैर्द्रव्यैर्महादेवं प्रणवेनाभिषेचयेत्

Transliteration

ghṛtena tu yathā pūjya sarvakāmahitāvaham | puṇyairdravyairmahādevaṃ praṇavenābhiṣecayet

Translation

พึงบูชาด้วยเนยใสตามพิธีอันถูกต้อง เพราะยังประโยชน์เกื้อกูลแก่ความปรารถนาทั้งปวง แล้วใช้น้ำและวัตถุมงคลอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์สรงมหาเทวะ พร้อมสวดปรณวะ ‘โอม’.

Word by Word

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Nipāta (निपात/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेष/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• यथा: as, in the proper way
• यथा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘as/in the manner’)

• पूज्य: to be worshipped
• पूज्य: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-कृत्य (Gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be worshipped)

• सर्वकामहितावहम्: bringing welfare for all desires
• सर्वकामहितावहम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of implied ‘पूजनम्/अभिषेकम्’ or of ‘महादेवम्’ contextually)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + हित + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां कामानां हितम् आवहति इति)

• पुण्यैः: with sacred/pure
• पुण्यैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (द्रव्यैः)

• द्रव्यैः: materials/substances
• द्रव्यैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• प्रणवेन: with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अभिषेचयेत्: should anoint/sprinkle (perform abhiṣeka)
• अभिषेचयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to sprinkle/anoint’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s prescribed worship to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames abhiṣeka as both artha/kāma-sādhana (sarvakāma-hitāvaha) and, in Siddhānta reading, a preparatory purification that disposes the soul toward Śiva’s liberating grace beyond mere boons.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: Oṃ (Praṇava)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion expressed through sanctified offerings and mantra-based abhiṣeka purifies the soul (paśu) and aligns it with Śiva (Pati), turning worldly desires toward auspicious welfare and spiritual upliftment.

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

Abhiṣeka with ghee and other pure substances is a classic mode of Saguna Śiva worship—approaching the Lord through the accessible form of the Liṅga—while the Praṇava points to His transcendent reality beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva abhiṣeka using ghee and other meritorious offerings while chanting the Praṇava “Oṁ” (and, by extension in Shaiva practice, the Panchākṣarī ‘Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya’) with focused devotion.