Shloka 31

Devanagari script

पीतं रक्तं च कृष्णं च श्यामं श्वेतं च पीतकम् । आग्रेय्यादि समारभ्य रक्तं श्यामं सितं प्रिये

Transliteration

pītaṃ raktaṃ ca kṛṣṇaṃ ca śyāmaṃ śvetaṃ ca pītakam | āgreyyādi samārabhya raktaṃ śyāmaṃ sitaṃ priye

Translation

“（当用）黄、红、黑、深蓝、白与淡黄。自阿伽尼耶（东南方）等诸方起，安置/涂布红、深蓝与白，卿所爱者。”

Word by Word

• पीतम्: yellow
• पीतम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक; √पा 'to drink' से क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम्

• रक्तम्: red
• रक्तम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √रञ्ज् से क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम्

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

• कृष्णम्: black
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय

• श्यामम्: dark-blue/dusky
• श्यामम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम्

• श्वेतम्: white
• श्वेतम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय

• पीतकम्: pale-yellow
• पीतकम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम् (diminutive/variant of pīta)

• आग्रेय्य-आदि: starting with Āgreyyā, etc.
• आग्रेय्य-आदि: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आग्रेय्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: 'beginning with āgreyyā')

• समारभ्य: beginning (from)
• समारभ्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); 'having begun'

• रक्तम्: red
• रक्तम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्यामम्: dusky
• श्यामम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सितम्: white
• सितम्: Karma (कर्म; listed item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक; √सि/श्वि? 'to be white'—lexical adjective)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्णवाचक-विशेषणम्

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; प्रिय-शब्दः स्त्रीसम्बोधनरूपे (address)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Procedural color-direction mapping; not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga legend. The mention of Soma is symbolic (lunar/nectar principle) within ritual aesthetics.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is not random but ordered—colors and directions are coordinated to harmonize the devotee’s mind with cosmic principles, supporting inner purity and steadiness (śuddhi and niṣṭhā) on the path where Pati (Śiva) releases the paśu from pāśa.

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

In Saguna worship of the Liṅga, offerings and arrangements follow prescribed correspondences (direction, color, and placement). Such discipline helps the devotee approach the Liṅga as the living presence of Śiva, gradually ripening devotion toward realization beyond form (Nirguṇa) without rejecting form-based worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests directional arrangement in worship (dik-krama) using specific colors—often applied in altar/maṇḍala layouts or in organizing offerings—done with focused attention, alongside standard Śaiva supports like mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) and purity disciplines.