Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया

Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification

Devanagari script

हंसन्यासं प्रकुर्वीत शिवशास्त्रे यथोदितम् । बीजं विभज्य हंसस्य नेत्रयोर्घ्राणयोरपि । विभज्य बाहुनेत्रास्यललाटे घ्राणयोरपि । कक्षयोः स्कन्धयोश्चैव पार्श्वयोस्तनयोस्तथा

Transliteration

haṃsanyāsaṃ prakurvīta śivaśāstre yathoditam | bījaṃ vibhajya haṃsasya netrayorghrāṇayorapi | vibhajya bāhunetrāsyalalāṭe ghrāṇayorapi | kakṣayoḥ skandhayoścaiva pārśvayostanayostathā

Translation

ينبغي أداء هَمْسَ-نياسا (Haṃsa-nyāsa) على الوجه الذي ورد في الشاسترا الشيفية. وبقسمة مقطع البِيجا لكلمة «هَمْسَ»، يُوضَع على العينين وعلى المنخرين؛ وكذلك يُوزَّع على الذراعين، والعينين، والفم، والجبهة، وعلى المنخرين أيضًا؛ ثم على الإبطين، والكتفين، وجانبي الجسد، وعلى الصدر كذلك.

Word by Word

• haṃsa-nyāsam: the haṃsa-nyāsa
• haṃsa-nyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• prakurvīta: should perform
• prakurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada; with prefix pra-

• śiva-śāstre: in the Śiva scripture
• śiva-śāstre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the Śiva-śāstra’

• yathā-uditam: as stated
• yathā-uditam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + udita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Phrase: yathā (avyaya ‘as’) + uditam (past passive participle of √vad/√ud? here ‘stated’, Neuter Nom/Acc Singular) used adverbially

• bījam: the seed (mantra-syllable)
• bījam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vibhajya: having divided
• vibhajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्) with prefix vi-; ‘having divided’

• haṃsasya: of haṃsa
• haṃsasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• netrayoḥ: in the two eyes
• netrayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• ghrāṇayoḥ: in the two nostrils
• ghrāṇayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

• vibhajya: having divided
• vibhajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्) with prefix vi-

• bāhu-netra-āsya-lalāṭe: in the arms, eyes, mouth and forehead
• bāhu-netra-āsya-lalāṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu + netra + āsya + lalāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva compound; Neuter (collective), Locative (7th), Singular (as a set); components: arms, eyes, mouth/face, forehead

• ghrāṇayoḥ: in the two nostrils
• ghrāṇayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• kakṣayoḥ: in the two armpits
• kakṣayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Dual

• skandhayoḥ: in the two shoulders
• skandhayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Dual

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• pārśvayoḥ: in the two sides
• pārśvayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• tanayoḥ: in the two breasts
• tanayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual; tana = breast/chest

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: haṃsa (seed divided for nyāsa)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Haṃsa-nyāsa—sanctifying the body with mantra so the practitioner recognizes the body and breath as instruments of Śiva, turning ordinary sense-centers into purified supports for contemplation and liberation (moksha) in a Shaiva Siddhanta spirit of disciplined worship.

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

Nyāsa prepares the worshipper as a fit vessel for Saguna Śiva-upāsanā (including Liṅga worship) by consecrating limbs and senses; the external liṅga-pūjā is mirrored internally as the body is treated as a sacred seat where Śiva’s presence is invoked through mantra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Haṃsa-nyāsa by dividing the Haṃsa bīja/mantra and touching (placing) it on specified body points—eyes, nostrils, arms, mouth/face, forehead, armpits, shoulders, sides, and breasts—supporting mantra-japa and breath-centered meditation.