Shiva Purana — Kailasa Samhita, Shloka 34

गुरुत्व-परम्परा-शौचविधि-प्रश्नः

Questions on Guruhood, Lineage, and Purificatory Discipline

Devanagari script

ततश्च देशिकस्तस्य दर्भैराच्छाद्य मस्तके । मण्डलस्थेशदिग्भागे चतुरस्रं प्रकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

tataśca deśikastasya darbhairācchādya mastake | maṇḍalastheśadigbhāge caturasraṃ prakalpayet

Translation

随后，主祭导师应以神圣的达尔婆草覆其顶，并在由伊沙（湿婆）主宰的曼荼罗方位中，布置一处方形的仪式坛域。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (काल/देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence/time

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• deśikaḥ: the teacher/preceptor
• deśikaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (1st case/Nominative), Ekavacana (singular)

• tasya: of him/of that (person)
• tasya: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka-sādhāraṇa, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th case/Genitive), Ekavacana

• darbhaiḥ: with darbha-grass
• darbhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd case/Instrumental), Bahuvacana (plural)

• ācchādya: having covered
• ācchādya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√chad (छद् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from ā-√chad (to cover), expressing prior action

• mastake: on the head
• mastake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (7th case/Locative), Ekavacana

• maṇḍala-stha-īśa-dik-bhāge: in the Īśāna-direction sector within the maṇḍala
• maṇḍala-stha-īśa-dik-bhāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √sthā) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक) + dik (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa (समास): Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) chain; final member bhāga. Puṃliṅga (masculine), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/Locative), Ekavacana; meaning: 'in the portion of the direction of Īśa (NE) situated in the maṇḍala'

• caturasram: a square (quadrilateral)
• caturasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd case/Accusative), Ekavacana

• prakalpayet: should arrange/construct
• prakalpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kḷp (कॢप् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasa Samhita teachings to the sages, describing the prescribed rite)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that approaching Śiva (Īśa) requires inner and outer purity: darbha symbolizes sanctity and restraint, while the carefully formed square mandala signifies a stabilized, disciplined field for invoking Śiva’s presence in Saguna worship.

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

By prescribing a consecrated mandala sector “of Īśa,” the verse supports structured ritual worship where Śiva is invoked through a defined sacred geometry and directionality—an essential framework for Linga-centered puja and formal āgamic-style worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cover the head with darbha as a purity-observance, then prepare a square altar-space within the mandala in Śiva’s quarter; this becomes the focused seat for mantra-japa and subsequent Shiva-puja steps.