Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

भोजन-आह्वान-प्रकरणम् — The Episode of Invitation and the Divine Feast

Devanagari script

मेनाज्ञया स्त्रियस्साध्व्य श्शिवं सम्प्रार्थ्य भक्तितः । गेहे निवासयामासुर्वासाख्ये परमोत्सवे

Transliteration

menājñayā striyassādhvya śśivaṃ samprārthya bhaktitaḥ | gehe nivāsayāmāsurvāsākhye paramotsave

Translation

اے نیک بانو! مینا کے حکم سے اُن عورتوں نے بھکتی سے شیو جی سے دعا کی اور ‘واسا’ نامی عظیم تہوار میں انہیں گھر میں قیام پذیر کر دیا۔

Word by Word

• मेनाज्ञया: by/through Mena’s command
• मेनाज्ञया: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेनाज्ञा = मेना + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मेनायाः आज्ञा)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• साध्व्यः: virtuous
• साध्व्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (स्त्रियः)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सम्प्रार्थ्य: having earnestly prayed
• सम्प्रार्थ्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-√अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया ‘having earnestly prayed’

• भक्तितः: with devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from/with devotion’

• गेहे: in the house
• गेहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निवासयामासुः: they caused (him) to reside / they lodged (him)
• निवासयामासुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वस् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• वासाख्ये: in (the festival) called Vāsa
• वासाख्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासाख्य = वास + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘वास-नाम्नि’ (named ‘Vāsa’)

• परमोत्सवे: in the supreme festival
• परमोत्सवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमोत्सव = परम + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘परमः उत्सवः’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models gṛhastha-bhakti: inviting Śiva as atithi and hosting Him is framed as grace-bearing, removing pāśa through devotion and service.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mena

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti as the primary means to invoke Śiva’s gracious presence—devout prayer and righteous intention make the home itself a sacred abode where the Lord is ‘hosted’ through worship.

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

The act of ‘making Śiva reside in the house’ is practically fulfilled through saguna upāsanā—installing and worshipping Śiva in a form such as the Śiva-liṅga, treating the household shrine as His living presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Earnest devotional prayer (samprārthanā) and home-based pūjā are implied—daily worship of Śiva with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple offerings, is the key takeaway.