Shloka 96

गजाननपूजा तथा औपासन-होमविधिः

Worship of Gajānana and the Procedure of Aupāsana-Homa

Devanagari script

तत एव महादेवं नित्यमुद्युक्तमानसः । पूजयेत्परया भक्त्या पञ्चावरणमार्गतः

Transliteration

tata eva mahādevaṃ nityamudyuktamānasaḥ | pūjayetparayā bhaktyā pañcāvaraṇamārgataḥ

Translation

因此，当以恒常警觉、专注之心，以至上虔敬依循“五重围护之道”（pañcāvaraṇa-mārga）礼拜供养大自在天（Mahādeva）。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereupon/therefore
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ (thereupon/therefore)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• mahādevam: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (mahān devaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• udyukta-mānasaḥ: one whose mind is intent
• udyukta-mānasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udyukta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (udyuktaṃ mānasaṃ yasya); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Vidhi-liṅ, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• parayā: with supreme
• parayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• bhaktyā: devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• pañca-āvaraṇa-mārgataḥ: according to the five-enclosure method
• pañca-āvaraṇa-mārgataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक) + -tas (तसिल्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (pañcāvaraṇa-mārga = path of five enclosures); तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'according to/from the path')

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Encodes a Siddhānta-style graded approach to worship: pañcāvaraṇa (five enclosures) trains the paśu in ordered devotion, culminating in focused approach to Mahādeva and receptivity to grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation-oriented Śaiva practice begins with steady inner attentiveness and culminates in wholehearted devotion to Pati (Śiva), expressed through an ordered, reverent mode of worship rather than casual ritual.

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

The verse supports saguna-upāsanā—approaching Mahādeva through structured pūjā (often centered on the Liṅga), where devotion is deepened by worship offered in successive ‘enclosures’ that honor Śiva and His sacred retinue/manifestations in a graded way.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain a constantly engaged mind (nitya-udyukta), perform daily Śiva-pūjā with parā-bhakti, and follow pañcāvaraṇa-style worship—often paired with Śiva-mantra japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’), along with traditional aids like bhasma and rudrākṣa where prescribed.