Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

द्विहस्तमानं कुर्वीत प्राच्यां कलशमंडलम् । ततः स्नातश्शिवाचार्यः सशिष्यः कृतनैत्यकः

Transliteration

dvihastamānaṃ kurvīta prācyāṃ kalaśamaṃḍalam | tataḥ snātaśśivācāryaḥ saśiṣyaḥ kṛtanaityakaḥ

Translation

In östlicher Richtung soll man einen Kreis für den rituellen Wasser‑Kalaśa bereiten, im Maß von zwei Handbreiten. Dann soll der Śiva‑Offiziant, nach dem heiligen Bad, zusammen mit seinem Schüler—nach Vollzug der täglichen Pflicht‑Riten—mit der Verehrung fortfahren.

Word by Word

• द्विहस्तमानम्: of two-hand measure
• द्विहस्तमानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि-हस्त-मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• कुर्वीत: should make
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• प्राच्याम्: in the east
• प्राच्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कलशमण्डलम्: the pot-maṇḍala (vessel-circle)
• कलशमण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश-मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kala (काल/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'thereafter/from that')

• स्नातः: bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (प्रातिपदिक); स्नात = स्ना (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• शिवाचार्यः: the Śaiva teacher (ācārya)
• शिवाचार्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सशिष्यः: together with (his) disciple(s)
• सशिष्यः: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सहार्थक (with-)

• कृतनैत्यकः: having performed the daily rites
• कृतनैत्यकः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-नैत्यक (प्रातिपदिक); कृत = कृ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship begins with purity, right orientation (east), and disciplined nitya-karmas—outer order supporting inner steadiness so devotion becomes fit to receive Shiva’s grace.

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

The kalaśa-maṇḍala is part of the preparatory consecration framework used before formal offerings to Saguna Shiva (often the Linga), establishing a sanctified ritual space and invoking auspicious presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a two-hand-wide kalaśa area in the east, bathe, complete daily duties, and then proceed to Shiva-puja; this aligns with the purificatory sequence typically accompanied by mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara) during setup.