Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

शिवाचार्याभिषेकविधिः / Rite of Consecrating a Śiva-Teacher (Śivācārya Abhiṣeka)

Devanagari script

अथालंकृत्य तं देवमाराध्य शिवमण्डले । शतमष्टोत्तरं हुत्वा दद्यात्पूर्णाहुतिं ततः

Transliteration

athālaṃkṛtya taṃ devamārādhya śivamaṇḍale | śatamaṣṭottaraṃ hutvā dadyātpūrṇāhutiṃ tataḥ

Translation

ثم بعد أن يُزيَّن ذلك الإله وتُؤدَّى عبادة شيفا على الوجه اللائق داخل ماندالا شيفا، تُقدَّم مئةٌ وثمانُ قرابين في النار المقدسة؛ ثم تُقدَّم بعد ذلك البُورْنَاهوتي، القربان الختامي الكامل.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then)

• alaṃkṛtya: having adorned
• alaṃkṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: alaṃ + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having adorned/decorated’

• tam: that (him)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• devam: the deity
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ārādhya: having worshipped
• ārādhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + rādh (धातu)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having worshipped/propitiated’

• śivamaṇḍale: in the Śiva-maṇḍala (ritual circle)
• śivamaṇḍale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः: शिवस्य मण्डलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• aṣṭottaram: eight more (i.e., 108)
• aṣṭottaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa + uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: अष्ट + उत्तर (तत्पुरुष: ‘eight more’), शतं विशेषयति → ‘108’

• hutvā: having offered (oblations)
• hutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having offered into fire’

• dadyāt: should give/offer
• dadyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• pūrṇāhutim: the full oblation
• pūrṇāhutim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrṇa + āhuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: पूर्णा आहुतिः (कर्मधारय)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

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 teaches disciplined, complete worship: adorning the Lord, worshipping within a consecrated Śiva-maṇḍala, and sealing the rite with 108 āhutis and a pūrṇāhuti—symbolizing offering the whole self to Pati (Śiva), loosening pāśa (bondage) for the pashu (bound soul).

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

The verse describes Saguna upāsanā—worshipping Śiva in a defined sacred space (maṇḍala) with ritual actions (alaṃkāra, ārādhana, homa). Such structured worship supports steadiness of mind, leading the devotee toward deeper realization of Śiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It indicates a Śaiva homa: after decorating and worshipping Śiva in a maṇḍala, offer 108 oblations (often with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī) and conclude with a pūrṇāhuti, mentally dedicating all results to Śiva.