Shloka 27

Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ

On the Proper Acceptance and Merit of Śiva’s Consecrated Food-Offering

Devanagari script

पूजयेद्बिल्वमूलं यो गंधपुष्पादिभिर्नरः । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति संततिर्वर्द्धते सुखम्

Transliteration

pūjayedbilvamūlaṃ yo gaṃdhapuṣpādibhirnaraḥ | śivalokamavāpnoti saṃtatirvarddhate sukham

Translation

جو شخص خوشبو، پھول وغیرہ سے بیل کے درخت کی جڑ کی پوجا کرتا ہے، وہ شِولोक کو پاتا ہے؛ اور اس کی نسل اور خوشی میں افزائش ہوتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बिल्व-मूलम्: the root of the bilva tree
• बिल्व-मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—बिल्वस्य मूलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिभिः: with fragrances, flowers, etc.
• गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—गन्धपुष्पादयः (समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शिव-लोकम्: Shiva’s world
• शिव-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संततिः: progeny/lineage
• संततिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वर्द्धते: increases
• वर्द्धते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सुखम्: happily/with happiness
• सुखम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In the Viśveśvarasaṃhitā context, worship connected with Kāśī/Viśveśvara is praised as granting Śivaloka; bilva is treated as especially dear to Śiva and thus a direct upacāra leading to His grace.

Significance: Bestows Śiva’s grace culminating in Śivaloka (liberation-oriented merit) and also worldly welfare such as progeny and happiness.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bilva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere bhakti expressed through simple offerings—especially bilva-related worship—invites Śiva’s grace, leading to Śivaloka (spiritual upliftment) and also dharmic well-being in worldly life.

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

Bilva worship is a classic upacāra in Saguna Śiva devotion; honoring the bilva at its root aligns with Linga-pūjā traditions where tangible offerings (flowers, gandha) become vehicles for devotion toward Śiva as Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform a simple Śiva-pūjā by offering gandha (fragrance) and puṣpa (flowers) at the bilva root (or with bilva in Śiva worship), ideally while remembering Śiva and reciting the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”