Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34

समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

ततस्सुवर्णसंमिश्रं दत्त्वा पुष्पांजलिं प्रभोः । प्राङ्मुखश्चोदङ्मुखो वा प्रणमेद्दंडवत्क्षितो

Transliteration

tatassuvarṇasaṃmiśraṃ dattvā puṣpāṃjaliṃ prabhoḥ | prāṅmukhaścodaṅmukho vā praṇameddaṃḍavatkṣito

Translation

Dann, nachdem er dem Herrn eine Handvoll Blumen, mit Gold vermischt, dargebracht hat, soll er sich auf dem Boden in voller Niederwerfung (daṇḍavat) verneigen, nach Osten oder nach Norden gewandt.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverb/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (adverb: then/thereafter)

• सुवर्ण-संमिश्रम्: mixed with gold
• सुवर्ण-संमिश्रम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + संमिश्र (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—सुवर्णेन संमिश्रः (mixed with gold)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having given’

• पुष्प-अञ्जलिम्: a handful of flowers
• पुष्प-अञ्जलिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—पुष्पैः कृतः अञ्जलिः (handful of flowers)

• प्रभोः: of the Lord
• प्रभोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्राक्-मुखः: facing east
• प्राक्-मुखः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—प्राक् (eastward) मुखः (facing)

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

• उदक्-मुखः: facing north
• उदक्-मुखः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक्/उदङ् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—उदक् (northward) मुखः (facing)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (particle: or)

• प्रणमेत्: should bow
• प्रणमेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दण्डवत्: prostrating fully
• दण्डवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धित-प्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: like a staff; prostrate)

• क्षितः: lying down (prostrate)
• क्षितः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘lying down/prostrated’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes humility (dāsya) and receptivity before Śiva; prostration and offering are framed as preparatory acts that make the paśu fit for the descent of grace (anugraha) in subsequent rites.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true Shaiva worship culminates in surrender: after offering (puṣpāñjali), the devotee places the ego on the ground through daṇḍavat praṇāma, aligning body and mind to the Lord (Pati) for grace and liberation.

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

The verse describes a concrete act of saguna-upāsanā—offering flowers to the Lord’s worship-form (commonly the Liṅga) and concluding with full prostration, expressing devotion and reverence to Shiva as the accessible, compassionate Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer a puṣpāñjali (flowers, optionally with a precious offering) and perform daṇḍavat praṇāma facing east or north; inwardly, maintain bhakti and remembrance of Shiva—ideally alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”