Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11
अलंकृत्य सुवेषं च गंधस्रग्वस्त्रभूषणैः । पुण्याहं वाचयित्वा च ब्राह्मणानभिपूज्य च । समुद्रतीरे नद्यां च गोष्ठे देवालये ऽपि वा । शुचौ देशे गृहे वापि काले सिद्धिकरे तिथौ
alaṃkṛtya suveṣaṃ ca gaṃdhasragvastrabhūṣaṇaiḥ | puṇyāhaṃ vācayitvā ca brāhmaṇānabhipūjya ca | samudratīre nadyāṃ ca goṣṭhe devālaye 'pi vā | śucau deśe gṛhe vāpi kāle siddhikare tithau
সুগন্ধ, মালা, শুচি বস্ত্র ও ভূষণে সুশোভিত হয়ে ‘পুণ্যাহ’ পাঠ করিয়ে ব্রাহ্মণদের যথাযথ পূজা করবে। তারপর সমুদ্রতীরে, নদীতীরে, গোশালায়, বা দেবালয়ে—অথবা যে কোনো শুচি স্থানে, ঘরেও—সিদ্ধিদায়ক সময় ও তিথিতে (শিবপূজা) আরম্ভ করবে।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that outer purity (clean dress, fragrance, orderly conduct) and inner sanctity (honoring brāhmaṇas, choosing a pure place and auspicious time) support focused Śiva-upāsanā, helping the devotee progress toward siddhi and ultimately liberation under Pati (Śiva).
The verse frames the proper setting for Saguna Śiva worship—typically centered on the Śiva-liṅga—showing that liṅga-pūjā can be performed not only in temples but also at home or other pure locations when done with reverence, purity, and right observances.
It suggests preparatory observances: personal adornment and cleanliness, arranging a puṇyāha recitation, honoring brāhmaṇas, and selecting a pure place and auspicious tithi—then commencing Śiva-pūjā (often with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī, if prescribed in the surrounding context).