Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 70

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

प्रणवेनैव मंत्रेण पूजयेल्लिंगमूर्द्धनि । धूपैर्दीपैश्च नैवैद्यैस्ताम्बूलैः सुन्दरैस्तथा

Transliteration

praṇavenaiva maṃtreṇa pūjayelliṃgamūrddhani | dhūpairdīpaiśca naivaidyaistāmbūlaiḥ sundaraistathā

Translation

ด้วยมนต์ปรณวะ (โอม) เพียงอย่างเดียว พึงบูชาที่ส่วนยอดของศิวลึงค์; และถวายธูป ประทีป ไนเวทยะ (เครื่องสักการะอาหาร) พร้อมทั้งตัมบูละ (หมากพลู) อันงดงาม.

Word by Word

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: विधेय-क्रिया (Predicate verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• लिङ्ग-मूर्धनि: on the top of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-मूर्धनि: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: लिङ्गस्य मूर्धनि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (लिङ्ग) + पुंलिङ्ग (मूर्धन्); समस्तपदं पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दीपैः: with lamps
• दीपैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings
• नैवेद्यैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ताम्बूलैः: with betel (offerings)
• ताम्बूलैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सुन्दरैः: beautiful
• सुन्दरैः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (ताम्बूलैः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva’s prescribed worship to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Liṅga-pūjā with praṇava and upacāras is presented as a direct means to receive Śiva’s anugraha (purification and uplift of the bound soul).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ॐ (praṇava)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Praṇava (Om) is a complete mantra for approaching Lord Shiva, and that devotion is expressed through both mantra (inner offering) and upacāras like incense, light, and food (outer offering), harmonizing meditation and ritual in Shaiva worship.

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

The Liṅga is the sacred, worship-worthy form through which the devotee serves Saguna Shiva; offering at the ‘head’ of the Liṅga and presenting dhūpa, dīpa, naivedya, and tāmbūla are standard upacāras that embody reverence and intimacy in Linga-pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Chant Om (Praṇava) during worship and perform the classic upacāras—offer incense, a lamp, naivedya, and tāmbūla—keeping the mind steady on Shiva as Pati (the Lord) who grants purity and liberation.