Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 23

महाकालज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्ये चन्द्रसेन-चिन्तामणि-प्रसङ्गः

Mahākāla Jyotirliṅga Māhātmya: The Episode of King Candrasena and the Cintāmaṇi

Devanagari script

गन्धालंकारवासोभिर्धूपदीपाक्षतादिभिः । विधाय कृत्रिमैर्द्रव्यैर्नैवेद्यं चाप्यकल्पयत्

Transliteration

gandhālaṃkāravāsobhirdhūpadīpākṣatādibhiḥ | vidhāya kṛtrimairdravyairnaivedyaṃ cāpyakalpayat

Translation

以香料、饰物与衣服，并以香、灯、未碎之米（akṣata）等诸供品，他布置了礼拜；又以预先制备之物，备办了供奉湿婆的食供（naivedya）。

Word by Word

• गन्ध-आलङ्कार-वासोभिः: with perfumes, ornaments, and garments
• गन्ध-आलङ्कार-वासोभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-आलङ्कार-वस्त्र/वासस् (प्रातिपदिक; समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः: गन्धैः च आलङ्कारैः च वासोभिः/वस्त्रैः च

• धूप-दीप-अक्षत-आदिभिः: with incense, lamps, unbroken rice, etc.
• धूप-दीप-अक्षत-आदिभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप-दीप-अक्षत-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = etc.

• विधाय: having arranged/prepared
• विधाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+धा (धातु) → विधाय (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• कृत्रिमैः: artificial
• कृत्रिमैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• द्रव्यैः: with materials/substances
• द्रव्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नैवेद्यम्: food-offering (naivedya)
• नैवेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• अकल्पयत्: he prepared/arranged
• अकल्पयत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ+कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The worship is completed through standard upacāras (gandha, dhūpa, dīpa, akṣata, vastra, alaṅkāra, naivedya), indicating that even with prepared/limited materials, the devotee can perform complete pūjā.

Significance: Models ‘minimum-complete’ liṅga-pūjā for devotees lacking temple resources; emphasizes inner purity over luxury.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes upacāra-sevā—devotional service through offerings—showing that sincere, orderly worship of Śiva with symbolically pure items (fragrance, light, akṣata, naivedya) refines the devotee’s mind toward bhakti and grace.

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

These are standard external upacāras offered to the Śiva-liṅga as Saguna Śiva—incense and lamp signify reverence and inner illumination, while akṣata and naivedya express wholeness and surrender in ritual worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā with dhūpa and dīpa, offer akṣata and naivedya with a focused mind, and internally maintain japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while visualizing the offering as a dedication of ego and action to Śiva.