Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41
समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout
Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha
दर्भाग्रैः संस्पृशंस्तं च विद्ययात्मानमाविशेत् । नमस्कृत्य महादेवं नाडीसंधानमाचरेत्
darbhāgraiḥ saṃspṛśaṃstaṃ ca vidyayātmānamāviśet | namaskṛtya mahādevaṃ nāḍīsaṃdhānamācaret
Indem er jenen Sitz oder heiligen Träger mit den Spitzen des Kuśa-Grases berührt und durch die Kraft geistiger Erkenntnis in sich selbst eingeht, soll er sich vor Mahādeva verneigen und sodann die Übung des Verbindens und Festigens der Nāḍīs (feinstofflichen Kanäle) zur yogischen Sammlung ausführen.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that outer purity (kuśa-grass sanctification) must be joined with inner purity (vidyā—turning awareness into the Self) and culminate in devotion to Mahādeva, after which yogic steadiness of the subtle channels supports true concentration and liberation under Śiva’s grace.
By instructing one to first bow to Mahādeva, it frames yogic technique as Śiva-centered worship: even when the practice becomes subtle (nāḍī-saṃdhāna), it remains grounded in reverence to Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord who guides the aspirant toward the highest realization.
It suggests a preparatory rite using kuśa-grass for sanctification, followed by inward absorption through vidyā and then nāḍī-saṃdhāna—stabilizing the breath and subtle currents (prāṇa) to make meditation steady after offering namaskāra to Śiva.