Shloka 58

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

Pārthiva-pratimā Pūjā-vidhāna — Procedure for Worship of an Earthen Icon

Devanagari script

दिग्गजानां च नागानां सेतुपानां च पूजनम् । त्र्यंबकस्य च रुद्रस्य विष्णोः पापहरस्य च

Transliteration

diggajānāṃ ca nāgānāṃ setupānāṃ ca pūjanam | tryaṃbakasya ca rudrasya viṣṇoḥ pāpaharasya ca

Translation

دِگ گجوں، ناگوں اور سیتو پالوں کی پوجا کرنی چاہیے؛ اسی طرح تریَمبک رُدر کی اور پاپ ہَر وِشنو کی بھی عبادت و پوجا کرنی چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• diggajānām: of the elephants of the directions
• diggajānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dik + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-avya ya (समुच्चय-अव्यय/Conjunction)

• nāgānām: of serpents
• nāgānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• setupānām: of the protectors/keepers of the bridge (Setu)
• setupānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu + pā (पा/पाल) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avya ya (समुच्चय-अव्यय/Conjunction)

• pūjanam: worship
• pūjanam: Karta/Pradhāna-kriyā-nāma (कर्ता/मुख्यकर्म-नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• tryaṃbakasya: of Tryambaka (three-eyed one)
• tryaṃbakasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tryaṃbaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avya ya (समुच्चय-अव्यय/Conjunction)

• rudrasya: of Rudra
• rudrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• pāpaharasya: of the sin-destroyer
• pāpaharasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) qualifying viṣṇu/tryaṃbaka/rudra by context

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avya ya (समुच्चय-अव्यय/Conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tryambaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara

Sthala Purana: Tryambaka (the three-eyed Rudra) is explicitly invoked; in Jyotirliṅga tradition, Tryambakeśvara is the liṅga associated with Gautamī Gaṅgā (Godāvarī) and the sage Gautama’s region, revered for removing sins and granting spiritual uplift.

Significance: Sin-removal (pāpa-haraṇa) and purification through worship; also linked with ancestral rites and sacred bathing in the Godāvarī source region.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied by the epithet Tryambaka) oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt ||

Type: mahamrityunjaya

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Tryambaka (Shiva/Rudra)
• Vishnu
• Diggajas
• Nagas

FAQs

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

It teaches a dharmic, integrated form of worship: honoring cosmic guardians (diggajas, nāgas, and protectors of sacred crossings) while ultimately centering devotion on Tryambaka-Rudra, with even Viṣṇu acknowledged as a purifier—supporting inner and outer purification on the path to Śiva’s grace.

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

By naming Tryambaka and Rudra explicitly, the verse supports Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—worship of the manifest Lord (often through the Liṅga). The auxiliary worship of guardians is preparatory and harmonizing, but the spiritual center remains Rudra/Śiva as the supreme refuge in Shaiva Siddhānta.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A structured pūjā sequence is implied: offer respectful worship to directional guardians and nāgas (for protection and removal of obstacles), then perform primary Rudra/Śiva worship (Liṅga-arcana) with mantra-japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as the main meditative takeaway.