Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 28

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

नमो ज्येष्ठाय मंत्रेण दद्यान्नैवेद्यमुत्तमम् । मनुना त्र् यम्बकमिति पुनराचमनं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

namo jyeṣṭhāya maṃtreṇa dadyānnaivedyamuttamam | manunā tr yambakamiti punarācamanaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Sa pamamagitan ng mantra na “Namo Jyeṣṭhāya,” ihandog kay Śiva ang pinakamainam na naivedya, ang handog na pagkain. Pagkaraan, sa pagbigkas ng pormulang Veda na “Tryambakam…,” iniuutos na magsagawa muli ng ācamana (ritwal na pag-inom ng tubig).

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• ज्येष्ठाय: to Jyeṣṭha (the supreme/eldest)
• ज्येष्ठाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (epithet: the eldest/supreme)

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should offer
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नैवेद्यम्: food offering (naivedya)
• नैवेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent; best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नैवेद्यम् इति विशेषण

• मनुना: with the (Vedic) formula
• मनुना: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; here: 'मनु' = मन्त्र (Vedic formula)

• त्र्यम्बकम्: Tryambaka (three-eyed one)
• त्र्यम्बकम्: Karma (कर्म/object of 'iti' quotation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रि + अम्बक)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक अव्यय

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-बोधक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• आचमनम्: (the act of) sipping water (ācamanam)
• आचमनम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + चम (धातु) + अन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रियानाम (verbal noun: sipping/ācamanam)

• स्मृतम्: is prescribed/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The pūjā-krama culminates in naivedya and purification acts; invoking ‘Jyeṣṭha’ (the Supreme/Eldest) and the ‘Tryambakam’ formula frames Śiva as the bestower of longevity and liberation in Kāśī-centered worship.

Significance: Naivedya to Viśvanātha and recitation of ‘Tryambakam’ are traditionally linked with ārogya, mṛtyu-bhaya-nivṛtti, and grace (anugraha) leading toward mokṣa.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Tryambakam mantra) tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Type: mahamrityunjaya

Shakti Dimension

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 devotion must be joined with purity and right procedure: offering the best naivedya to Pati (Śiva) and re-purifying oneself through ācamana while remembering the Three-eyed Lord.

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

The verse belongs to the practical sequence of Saguna Śiva worship—serving the Lord through a tangible offering (naivedya) and mantra-recitation, as done before the Śiva-liṅga in formal pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer naivedya with the mantra “Namo Jyeṣṭhāya,” then perform ācamana again while reciting “Tryambakam…,” maintaining inner and outer purity during Śiva-pūjā.