Shloka 46

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

यामेयामे यथा पूजा कार्या भक्तवरैर्हरे । शिवरात्रौ विशेषेण तामहं कथयामि ते

Transliteration

yāmeyāme yathā pūjā kāryā bhaktavarairhare | śivarātrau viśeṣeṇa tāmahaṃ kathayāmi te

Translation

اے ہری! رات کے ہر پہر میں برگزیدہ بھکتوں کو جس طرح پوجا کرنی چاہیے—خصوصاً شیوراتری کی رات—وہ میں تمہیں بتاتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• यामे: in a watch (of the night)
• यामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन

• यामे: in (each) watch
• यामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (each watch)

• यथा: as; in the manner that
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: as/how)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• कार्या: should be performed
• कार्या: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; विधिलिङ्गार्थक ‘कार्य’ (gerundive/तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be done’

• भक्तवरैः: by the best devotees
• भक्तवरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘वराः भक्ताः’ (excellent devotees)

• हरे: O Hari (Lord)
• हरे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन

• शिवरात्रौ: on Śivarātri
• शिवरात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी): ‘शिवस्य रात्रिः’

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially): ‘especially’

• ताम्: that (worship-method)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘that (procedure)’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा एकवचन

• कथयामि: tell; explain
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान) एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Śivarātri-yāma-pūjā is framed as a direct means to Śiva’s anugraha: intensified merit, purification of pāśa (bondage), and ripening of bhakti leading toward liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse frames Śivarātri as a uniquely potent night for structured, time-bound devotion—worship offered in each yāma disciplines the mind and turns bhakti into sustained contemplation of Pati (Śiva), aiding liberation.

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

By prescribing yāma-wise worship, the text points to repeated, reverent offerings to Saguna Śiva—commonly through the Śiva-liṅga—so the devotee’s attention repeatedly returns to Śiva’s gracious, accessible form while aspiring toward His transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Night-long Śivarātri observance with worship in each yāma—typically including mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī), offerings/abhisheka, and vigilant devotion (jāgaraṇa) as a focused sādhana.