Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 52

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा हि मानसे देवं स्वस्थचित्तो ऽथ मानवः । शिवनामाष्टकेनैव भावपुष्पैस्समर्चयेत्

Transliteration

dhyātvā hi mānase devaṃ svasthacitto 'tha mānavaḥ | śivanāmāṣṭakenaiva bhāvapuṣpaissamarcayet

Translation

Nachdem man den göttlichen Herrn zuerst im Geist betrachtet hat, soll der Mensch, mit ruhigem und gefestigtem Herzen, Ihn allein mit dem Nāma-aṣṭaka verehren — den acht heiligen Namen Śivas — und die Blumen innerer Hingabe darbringen.

Word by Word

• dhyātvā: having meditated
• dhyātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, ल्यबन्त), 'having meditated'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), emphasis/causal nuance

• mānase: in the mind
• mānase: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (सप्तमी/7th case, locative), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (द्वितीया/2nd case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• svastha-cittaḥ: whose mind is steady
• svastha-cittaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of mānavaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svastha (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi-samāsa (बहुव्रीहिसमास) 'yasya cittam svastham', Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• atha: then
• atha: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), discourse particle (अनन्तर/क्रमसूचक)

• mānavaḥ: a man, devotee
• mānavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• śiva-nāma-aṣṭakena: with the Śiva-name octad (hymn of eight names)
• śiva-nāma-aṣṭakena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुषसमास) 'śivasya nāmnaḥ aṣṭakam'; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (तृतीया/3rd case, instrumental), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• bhāva-puṣpaiḥ: with flowers of devotion (mental offerings)
• bhāva-puṣpaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुषसमास) 'bhāvasya puṣpāṇi'; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (तृतीया/3rd case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• samarcayet: should worship
• samarcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam√arc (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śivanāmāṣṭaka (aṣṭa nāmāni of Śiva; text not quoted in this verse)

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true worship begins with inner meditation and a steady mind; offering “flowers” of sincere bhāva through Śiva’s names purifies the soul (paśu) and turns it toward the Lord (Pati), loosening the bonds (pāśa) that obstruct liberation.

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

Even when external Linga worship is performed, the Purana emphasizes that its power is fulfilled by inward contemplation and name-worship; the devotee approaches Saguna Śiva through sacred names while anchoring awareness in the indwelling Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice mānasa-dhyāna (mental meditation) followed by recitation of Śiva’s eight names (Śiva-nāmāṣṭaka) as an inner offering—performing worship primarily through bhāva rather than relying only on external items.