Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 43

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

भवाय भवनाशाय महादेवाय धीमहि । उग्राय उग्रनाशाय शर्वाय शशिमौलिने

Transliteration

bhavāya bhavanāśāya mahādevāya dhīmahi | ugrāya ugranāśāya śarvāya śaśimauline

Translation

我们观想婆婆（Bhava）——使众生得生、亦令世间之“成有”归于消融者；观想摩诃提婆（Mahādeva），至上神主。我们观想乌格罗（Ugra），威烈可畏、摧灭一切凶暴与罪恶者；观想舍尔瓦（Śarva），以及顶髻饰月、以月为冠者。

Word by Word

• भवाय: to Bhava (Śiva)
• भवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient; dative of dedication)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भव-नाशाय: to the destroyer of worldly existence
• भव-नाशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: भवस्य नाशः

• महादेवाय: to Mahādeva
• महादेवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• धीमहि: we meditate (upon)
• धीमहि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada); वैदिक/मन्त्र-प्रयोगे ‘we meditate/hold in mind’

• उग्राय: to Ugra (the fierce one)
• उग्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उग्र-नाशाय: to the destroyer of fierceness/terror
• उग्र-नाशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्र + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: उग्रस्य नाशः

• शर्वाय: to Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शशि-मौलिने: to the one whose crest is the moon
• शशि-मौलिने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि + मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शशिनः मौलिः यस्य (moon as crest)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva worship teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General dhyāna-stuti of Śiva’s names (Bhava, Ugra, Śarva, Śaśimauli) supports inner worship; in Siddhānta, such nāma-dhyāna purifies the paśu and prepares for anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: bhavāya bhavanāśāya mahādevāya dhīmahi | ugrāya ugranāśāya śarvāya śaśimauline

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse is a dhyāna-style praise that focuses on Śiva as both the source of manifested existence (Bhava) and the liberator who ends saṃsāric becoming (bhavanāśa). In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, it points to Pati (Śiva) as the one who removes bondage and leads the soul toward mokṣa through contemplation and devotion.

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

The names Bhava, Ugra, Śarva, and Śaśimauli describe Saguna Śiva—Śiva with auspicious attributes—who is worshipped in the Liṅga as the accessible form of the Supreme. Meditating on these epithets while worshipping the Liṅga aligns the mind with Śiva’s grace-bestowing power that dissolves impurities and fear.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key practice is dhyāna (dhīmahi): silently contemplating Śiva’s names and qualities during Liṅga-pūjā or japa. As a Shaiva Purana-aligned takeaway, this can be paired with Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple offerings like water and bilva leaves, with a steady mind focused on the moon-crested Lord.