Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 50

Maṇḍala–Pūjā–Homa Krama

Maṇḍala Worship and Homa Sequence for the Disciple

Devanagari script

शुद्धामेव शिशोर्मूर्ध्नि न्यसेच्छान्तिमुखे तथा । विद्यां गलादिनाभ्यंतं प्रतिष्ठां तदधः क्रमात्

Transliteration

śuddhāmeva śiśormūrdhni nyasecchāntimukhe tathā | vidyāṃ galādinābhyaṃtaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ tadadhaḥ kramāt

Translation

Er soll «Śuddhā» auf den Kopf des Kindes setzen und ebenso «Śānti» auf das Gesicht. «Vidyā» ist vom Hals bis zum Nabel zu platzieren, und «Pratiṣṭhā» darunter—so der rechten Reihenfolge gemäß.

Word by Word

• śuddhām: the pure (one)
• śuddhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• śiśoḥ: of the child
• śiśoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mūrdhni: on the head
• mūrdhni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nyaset: should place
• nyaset: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• śānti-mukhe: on (the place) ‘Śānti’ at the mouth/face
• śānti-mukhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘on the mouth/face (called) Śānti’

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (रीति-अव्यय)

• vidyām: (the) Vidyā
• vidyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• galāt: from the throat
• galāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ādi: and so on/beginning with
• ādi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable meaning ‘etc./beginning with’ (आदि-अव्यय)

• nābhi-antam: ending at the navel
• nābhi-antam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘ending at the navel’

• pratiṣṭhām: (the) Pratiṣṭhā
• pratiṣṭhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tad: that/then
• tad: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) used adverbially ‘that/then’

• adhaḥ: below
• adhaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्थान-अव्यय)

• kramāt: in sequence
• kramāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत्): ‘in order/step by step’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches a Shaiva nyāsa pattern: purity (Śuddhā), peace (Śānti), knowledge (Vidyā), and stable establishment (Pratiṣṭhā) are invoked in the body in a graded manner, aligning the devotee’s embodied life with Shiva’s purifying grace (Pati) so the bound soul (paśu) becomes fit for liberation.

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

Nyāsa is a preparatory act before Saguna Shiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā): the body is consecrated as a vessel of mantra and śakti, so the external offering to the Liṅga is matched by an inner installation of Shiva’s auspicious qualities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential nyāsa/anga-vinyāsa: mentally (or with mantra) install Śuddhā on the crown, Śānti on the face, Vidyā from throat to navel, and Pratiṣṭhā below—used as a centering practice before japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shiva worship.