Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

परिकल्प्यासनं मूर्तिं पञ्चवक्त्रप्रकारतः । पञ्चगव्यादिभिः पूर्णैर्यथाविभवसंभृतैः

Transliteration

parikalpyāsanaṃ mūrtiṃ pañcavaktraprakārataḥ | pañcagavyādibhiḥ pūrṇairyathāvibhavasaṃbhṛtaiḥ

Translation

Nachdem man den Sitz ordnungsgemäß bereitet und die Gestalt der Gottheit gemäß der fünfgesichtigen Erscheinung (Śivas) vergegenwärtigt hat, bereite man die Opfergaben—gefüllt mit Pañcagavya und anderen heiligen Substanzen—zusammengetragen nach den eigenen Mitteln.

Word by Word

• parikalpya: having arranged
• parikalpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kḷp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/य), ‘having arranged/prepared’

• āsanam: seat; pedestal
• āsanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• mūrtim: form; image
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• pañca-vaktra-prakārataḥ: according to the five-faced mode
• pañca-vaktra-prakārataḥ: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pañca + vaktra + prakāra + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Compound adverb (क्रियाविशेषण); tatpuruṣa: pañca-vaktra (‘five-faced’) + prakāra (‘manner’) + ablatival adverbial suffix -tas (तस्) meaning ‘according to’

• pañca-gavya-ādibhiḥ: with pañcagavya etc.
• pañca-gavya-ādibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + gavya + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) collective, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: pañcagavya (‘five products of cow’) + ādi (‘etc.’)

• pūrṇaiḥ: full; complete
• pūrṇaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with pañcagavyādibhiḥ (instrumental plural)

• yathā-vibhava-saṃbhṛtaiḥ: provided according to one’s means
• yathā-vibhava-saṃbhṛtaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + vibhava (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhṛta (कृदन्त; √bhṛ (धातु) + क्त with sam-)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); avyayībhāva: yathā (‘according to’) + vibhava (‘means/ability’) qualifying saṃbhṛta (‘collected/provided’ PPP)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

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 that Śiva-worship unites inner contemplation (dhyāna of the five-faced Lord) with outer purity (properly prepared offerings), and that devotion is valid when performed sincerely within one’s means.

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

By instructing meditation on Śiva’s pañcavaktra-mūrti, it emphasizes Saguna upāsanā (worship with form); such contemplation can accompany Linga-pūjā as the Linga is revered as Śiva’s manifest support for worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare an āsana and perform dhyāna on pañcavaktra Śiva, then offer pañcagavya and other pure materials—assembled according to your capacity—as part of a disciplined Śiva-pūjā.