Shloka 73

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठाय नम इत्युक्त्वा शुभ्रवस्त्रम्प्रकल्पयेत् । श्रेष्ठाय नम इत्युक्त्वा दद्याद्यज्ञोपवीतकम्

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhāya nama ityuktvā śubhravastramprakalpayet | śreṣṭhāya nama ityuktvā dadyādyajñopavītakam

Translation

称诵“礼敬最尊长者（Jyeṣṭha，湿婆）”，当备献洁白净衣；再诵“礼敬至胜者（Śreṣṭha）”，继而奉上圣线（yajñopavīta）。

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठाय: to Jyeṣṭha (the eldest)
• ज्येष्ठाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचन (देवता-नाम/विशेषणवत्)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; नमस्-शब्दः (salutation particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• शुभ्र-वस्त्रम्: a white cloth/garment
• शुभ्र-वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुभ्रं वस्त्रम्)

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should prepare/offer
• प्रकल्पयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रेष्ठाय: to Śreṣṭha (the best)
• श्रेष्ठाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचन (देवता-नाम/विशेषणवत्)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; नमस्-शब्दः (salutation particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• दद्यात्: should give/offer
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यज्ञ-उपवीतकम्: sacred thread (yajñopavīta)
• यज्ञ-उपवीतकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञार्थम् उपवीतकम् / यज्ञस्य उपवीतकम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General pūjā-vidhi: offering white cloth and yajñopavīta to Śiva with epithets ‘Jyeṣṭha’ and ‘Śreṣṭha’ emphasizes Śiva’s primordial seniority and supreme excellence over all devas.

Significance: Cultivates bhāva of Śiva as the eldest (ādi) and best (para); the devotee aligns personal dharma (yajñopavīta symbolism) under Śiva’s lordship, converting Vedic markers into Śaiva devotion.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ज्येष्ठाय नमः; श्रेष्ठाय नमः

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Saguna worship of Śiva is performed through pure, disciplined offerings accompanied by mantra—external cleanliness (white cloth) supporting inner reverence, aligning the devotee with Śiva as the supreme, beginningless Lord (Jyeṣṭha) and the highest good (Śreṣṭha).

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

These are standard upacāras (ritual services) offered to Śiva in embodied form—often to the Śiva-liṅga—where the devotee honors Him with garments and sacred insignia, expressing devotion while recognizing Him as the Lord of all rites.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A mantra-led offering sequence: recite Śiva’s epithets (“Jyeṣṭhāya namaḥ,” “Śreṣṭhāya namaḥ”) and offer a clean white cloth and yajñopavīta as part of Śiva-pūjā, cultivating purity, humility, and focused bhakti.