Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

Maṇḍala–Pūjā–Homa Krama

Maṇḍala Worship and Homa Sequence for the Disciple

Devanagari script

वागीश्वरीपूजनांतं कुर्याद्धोमपुरस्सरम् । अथ प्रणम्य वागीशं निवृत्तेर्व्यापिकां सतीम्

Transliteration

vāgīśvarīpūjanāṃtaṃ kuryāddhomapurassaram | atha praṇamya vāgīśaṃ nivṛttervyāpikāṃ satīm

Translation

Man soll die Verehrung der Vāgīśvarī vollenden, eingeleitet durch die Opfergabe in das heilige Feuer (homa). Dann verneige man sich vor Vāgīśa—Satī, der tugendhaften Kraft, die den Pfad des Rückzugs (nivṛtti) durchdringt—und fahre in Ehrfurcht fort.

Word by Word

• vāg-īśvarī-pūjanāntam: up to the worship of Vāgīśvarī
• vāg-īśvarī-pūjanāntam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvarī (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjanānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘up to the worship of Vāgīśvarī’ (वागीश्वर्याः पूजनस्य अन्तः)

• kuryāt: should do/perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person, Singular; parasmaipada

• homa-purassaram: preceded by a fire-offering
• homa-purassaram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक) + purassara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘preceded by homa’ (होमः पुरः यस्य)

• atha: then/next
• atha: Anantarya (आनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अनन्तर/प्रस्तावक)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable

• vāgīśam: Vāgīśa (Lord of speech)
• vāgīśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāgīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘lord of speech’ (वाचः ईशः)

• nivṛtteḥ: of Nivṛtti
• nivṛtteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vyāpikām: all-pervading
• vyāpikām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāpikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• satīm: Satī (the goddess)
• satīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: homa

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Vagishvari
• Vagisha

FAQs

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

It links outer rite (homa and pūjā) with inner liberation: Vāgīśvarī, as the sanctifying power of sacred speech/mantra, is honored as pervading nivṛtti—the inward turning that culminates in freedom from pāśa (bondage) and steadiness in Pati (Śiva).

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

In Shaiva practice, homa and pūjā are supportive limbs of saguna-upāsanā that purify the mind and speech; purified mantra (vāk) becomes fit to contemplate Śiva’s presence—whether in the Liṅga as the accessible form or as the transcendent Lord realized through the nivṛtti orientation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform the worship to completion with homa as a preparatory act, then offer prostration and enter a contemplative mood aligned with nivṛtti—restraining speech into mantra-japa and inner recollection, treating sacred speech as a śakti that carries the mind toward Śiva.