Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

सर्पिषाक्तानि भक्ष्याणि लेह्यचोष्याणि सम्भवे । दशैवाहुतयस्तत्र पञ्च वा त्रितयं च वा

Transliteration

sarpiṣāktāni bhakṣyāṇi lehyacoṣyāṇi sambhave | daśaivāhutayastatra pañca vā tritayaṃ ca vā

Translation

وفي تلك الشعيرة تُهيَّأ القرابين المأكولة—مما يُؤكل أو يُلعق أو يُمصّ—مخلوطةً بالسمن (ghee). وهناك تُقدَّم الأُهوتي عشرَ مرات، أو خمسَ مرات، أو حتى ثلاثَ مرات.

Word by Word

• सर्पिषा: with ghee
• सर्पिषा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• आक्तानि: smeared/anointed
• आक्तानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अञ्ज् (धातु) → आक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘smeared/anointed’

• भक्ष्याणि: eatables; foods to be eaten
• भक्ष्याणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; भक्ष् धातोः यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• लेह्य-चोष्याणि: lickables and suckables
• लेह्य-चोष्याणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चोष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: लेह्यानि च चोष्याणि च

• सम्भवे: on the occasion; in the context
• सम्भवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अर्थः—समये/अवसरे (in the occasion)

• दश: ten
• दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (agreeing with आहुतयः)

• एव: indeed; exactly
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• आहुतयः: oblations
• आहुतयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there; in that rite
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन्/पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), प्रथमा, बहुवचन (elliptic with आहुतयः)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• त्रितयम्: a set of three
• त्रितयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; ‘threefold set’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined, sattvic offering as a form of bhakti—purifying intention through ghee-prepared naivedya and measured ahutis, aligning the worshipper (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati) by orderly practice.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship through concrete ritual acts—naivedya and homa—performed as offerings to Shiva (often to the Linga), where devotion is expressed via prescribed substances and counts of oblations.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A homa/offerings practice: prepare ghee-mixed edible offerings and perform 10, 5, or 3 oblations with focused remembrance of Shiva (commonly alongside mantra-japa in Shaiva pūjā).