Shloka 32

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

अधोर्द्ध्वच्छदनं पश्चात्कंदं नालं च कण्टकान् । दलादिकं कर्णिकाञ्च विभाव्य क्रमशोऽर्चयेत्

Transliteration

adhorddhvacchadanaṃ paścātkaṃdaṃ nālaṃ ca kaṇṭakān | dalādikaṃ karṇikāñca vibhāvya kramaśo'rcayet

Translation

Pagkaraan nito, dapat pagnilayan at sambahin nang sunod-sunod: ang panakip sa ibaba at sa itaas; saka ang umbi, ang tangkay, at ang mga tinik; at pagkatapos ang mga talulot at iba pang bahagi, kasama ang karṇikā (gitnang sisidlan)—na may paggalang sa bawat hakbang.

Word by Word

• adhaḥ-ūrdhva-chadanam: the lower-and-upper covering
• adhaḥ-ūrdhva-chadanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + chadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः — ‘अधः ऊर्ध्वं च छादनम्’ (covering below and above)

• paścāt: afterwards/behind
• paścāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/देशवाचक-अव्यय (after/behind)

• kaṇḍam: bulb/stem-base
• kaṇḍam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• nālam: stalk
• nālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• kaṇṭakān: thorns
• kaṇṭakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• dala-ādikam: petals and the rest
• dala-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘दलम् आदिः यस्य’ (petals etc.)

• karṇikām: pericarp/central whorl
• karṇikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• vibhāvya: having contemplated
• vibhāvya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘विभाव्य’ (having contemplated/considered); अव्ययभावः

• kramaśaḥ: in sequence
• kramaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kramaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (in order, gradually)

• arcayet: should worship
• arcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s prescribed method of orderly worship as taught in the Kailasha Samhita tradition)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches krama-arcana—worship performed with mindful sequence—so the devotee’s attention becomes steady and pure, aligning the inner faculties (pāśu) toward Pati (Shiva) through disciplined contemplation.

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

The verse reflects Saguna-upāsanā: worshipping Shiva through a concrete form and its parts in a prescribed order. This external order supports inner concentration, helping the mind move from form-based devotion toward deeper realization of Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform stepwise visualization (vibhāvya) of the worship-object’s parts and then offer worship (arcayet) in sequence (kramaśaḥ), maintaining one-pointed devotion—ideally accompanied by Shiva-mantra japa such as the Pañcākṣarī.