Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

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

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

नाड्या यथोक्तया वायुं रेचयेन्मंत्रतो गुरुः । निर्गम्य प्रविशेन्नाड्या शिष्यस्य हृदयं तथा

Transliteration

nāḍyā yathoktayā vāyuṃ recayenmaṃtrato guruḥ | nirgamya praviśennāḍyā śiṣyasya hṛdayaṃ tathā

Translation

Dann soll der Guru, durch das Mantra, den Lebenshauch (vāyu/prāṇa) gemäß der Vorschrift durch die Nāḍī ausstoßen; und nachdem er hinausgegangen ist, soll er ebenso durch die Nāḍī in das Herz des Schülers eintreten.

Word by Word

• नाड्या: by/through the nāḍī (channel)
• नाड्या: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• यथा-उक्तया: as prescribed
• यथा-उक्तया: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (‘as said/prescribed’)

• वायुम्: the air/breath
• वायुम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रेचयेत्: should exhale/expel
• रेचयेत्: कर्ता-क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रेच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in yoga usage: ‘cause to be expelled’

• मन्त्रतः: by means of mantra
• मन्त्रतः: करण/हेतु (Karaṇa/Hetu)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्त्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘by/according to mantra’

• गुरुः: the teacher
• गुरुः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• निर्गम्य: having gone out
• निर्गम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: गम् with उपसर्ग निर्

• प्रविशेत्: should enter
• प्रविशेत्: कर्ता-क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नाड्या: through the nāḍī
• नाड्या: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• शिष्यस्य: of the disciple
• शिष्यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• हृदयम्: the heart
• हृदयम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus/in that manner)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vayu Samhita teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Disciple

FAQs

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

It describes a subtle, mantra-guided yogic transmission in which the Guru directs prāṇa through nāḍīs and establishes spiritual awakening in the disciple’s heart—symbolizing the descent of Śiva’s grace (anugraha) mediated through the Guru.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, outer worship of the Liṅga is complemented by inner worship in the heart (hṛdaya). This verse points to that interiorization: mantra and prāṇa lead awareness to the heart-lotus where Saguna Shiva is contemplated, preparing the seeker for realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A mantra-based prāṇāyāma and nāḍī-focused meditation used in dīkṣā-style guidance: regulated exhalation (recaka) with mantra, followed by inward placement of awareness in the heart. It implies disciplined, guru-directed practice rather than casual self-experimentation.