Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 22

रामेश्वरलिङ्गप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Origin of the Rāmeśvara Liṅga

Devanagari script

आवाहनादिकांश्चैव ह्युपचारान्प्रकल्प्य वै । विधिवत्षोडश प्रीत्या देवमानर्च शङ्करम्

Transliteration

āvāhanādikāṃścaiva hyupacārānprakalpya vai | vidhivatṣoḍaśa prītyā devamānarca śaṅkaram

Translation

Sau khi sắp đặt đầy đủ các nghi thức phụng sự (upacāra) bắt đầu từ thỉnh mời (āvāhana) và các lễ vật khác, ông đã theo đúng pháp thức mà chí thành thờ phụng Đức Śaṅkara bằng mười sáu upacāra.

Word by Word

• आवाहन-आदिकान्: invocation and other (rites)
• आवाहन-आदिकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवाहन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः—आवाहनं च आदयः येषां ते (आवाहनादयः) तान्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• उपचारान्: services/offerings
• उपचारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रकल्प्य: having prepared
• प्रकल्प्य: Kriya (क्रिया—पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—‘प्रकल्प्य’ = having arranged/prepared

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed)

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rule
• विधिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘according to rule’

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; (अत्र) द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे ‘षोडश (उपचारान्)’ = sixteen (as qualifier)

• प्रीत्या: with loving devotion
• प्रीत्या: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; भावः—‘with devotion/affection’

• देवम्: the god (Lord)
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आनर्च: worshipped
• आनर्च: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थः—‘worshipped’

• शङ्करम्: Shankara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Ṣoḍaśopacāra pūjā is presented as the normative temple/āgamic pattern: āvāhana and allied services establish sannidhya, enabling the devotee to receive prasāda and grace.

Significance: Models correct ritual orthopraxy (vidhi) joined with prīti (loving devotion), a hallmark of Purāṇic Śaiva pilgrimage culture.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that loving devotion (prīti-bhakti) expressed through orderly, reverent worship is a direct means to please Śiva; outer ritual becomes spiritually effective when joined to inner sincerity and right method.

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

The verse emphasizes upacāra-pūjā—formal offerings beginning with āvāhana—typical of Saguna worship, commonly directed to Śiva as the Liṅga or as Śaṅkara, making the devotee’s relationship tangible through prescribed acts.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā with the ṣoḍaśopacāras (sixteen offerings) starting from āvāhana, maintaining vidhivat procedure and a mind of prīti; this can be paired with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” during worship.