Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 51

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

ईशानं सर्वविद्यानामिति मंत्रेण पूजयेत् । पाद्यमाचनीयं च विधायार्घ्यं प्रदापयेत्

Transliteration

īśānaṃ sarvavidyānāmiti maṃtreṇa pūjayet | pādyamācanīyaṃ ca vidhāyārghyaṃ pradāpayet

Translation

当以真言“伊沙那（Īśāna）为一切诸学之主”而礼敬湿婆。先奉献洗足之水（pādya）与啜饮净水（ācamanīya），继而如法奉上阿尔伽（arghya）供献。

Word by Word

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (Shiva as Īśāna)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• सर्व-विद्यानाम्: of all knowledges
• सर्व-विद्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/विशेषणपूर्वपद: सर्वाः विद्या:); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• इति: thus/“iti”
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘should worship’

• पाद्यम्: water for washing the feet
• पाद्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• आचनीयम्: water for sipping (ācamanīya)
• आचनीयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचनीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

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

• विधाय: having prepared
• विधाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकालः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), परस्मैपद-धातु — ‘having arranged/prepared’

• अर्घ्यम्: arghya offering (water/oblation)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• प्रदापयेत्: should offer/present
• प्रदापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (Causative) + विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘should cause to be given/should offer’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva-pūjā procedure to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya within the Rudra Saṃhitā frame)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva as Īśāna is the source and master of all vidyā (true knowledge), and that devotion becomes complete when reverence is expressed through orderly offerings—humility (pādya), inner purity (ācamaniya), and honoring the divine presence (arghya).

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

The verse outlines standard upacāras used in Saguna worship—approaching Śiva in worshipful form (often the Liṅga) and serving Him with ritual hospitality, which in Śaiva practice supports concentration, bhakti, and the recognition of Śiva’s lordship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests mantra-based Śiva-pūjā using the Īśāna mantra, followed by offering pādya, ācamaniya, and arghya as sequential upacāras—performed with steady attention and a purified, reverential mind.