Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

पूरयेद्गंधतोयेन रक्तचंदनयोगिना । रक्तपुष्पैस्तिलैश्चैव कुशाक्षतसमन्वितैः

Transliteration

pūrayedgaṃdhatoyena raktacaṃdanayoginā | raktapuṣpaistilaiścaiva kuśākṣatasamanvitaiḥ

Translation

Man soll (und darbringen) duftendes Wasser füllen, vermischt mit roter Sandelpaste, dazu rote Blumen und Sesam, begleitet von Kuśa‑Gras und ungebrochenen Reiskörnern (akṣata); so wird die vorgeschriebene Verehrung Śivas vollendet.

Word by Word

• पूरयेत्: should fill
• पूरयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गन्धतोयेन: with scented water
• गन्धतोयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—गन्धयुक्तं तोयम् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• रक्तचन्दनयोगिना: mixed with red sandal
• रक्तचन्दनयोगिना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-चन्दन-योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम् तोयेन प्रति; समासः—रक्तचन्दनेन योगी (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष) = ‘mixed with red sandal’

• रक्तपुष्पैः: with red flowers
• रक्तपुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त-पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—रक्तानि पुष्पाणि (कर्मधारय)

• तिलैः: with sesame seeds
• तिलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• कुशाक्षतसमन्वितैः: together with kuśa grass and unbroken rice grains
• कुशाक्षतसमन्वितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुश-अक्षत + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम् + अन्वि/अन्व् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कुशाक्षतैः समन्वितैः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); ‘कुशाक्षत’ = कुशाः च अक्षताः च (द्वन्द्व-समास)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General Śiva-pūjā offering: preparing gandha-toya (fragrant water) with red sandal, and offering it with red flowers, sesame, kuśa, and akṣata—typical upacāras supporting abhiṣeka/ārghya in Śaiva worship.

Significance: Such offerings are held to please Śiva and secure sukha, śānti, and removal of obstacles; sesame and kuśa also connect to pitṛ-śānti and purification, integrating worldly and spiritual welfare.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion becomes complete when inner reverence is expressed through pure, sattvic offerings—fragrant water, sandal, flowers, and sacred materials—directed to Pati (Śiva), thereby purifying the bound soul (paśu) from its bonds (pāśa).

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

The verse is a practical instruction for Linga-pūjā: sanctified water (for abhiṣeka/arcana) and specific auspicious items are offered to Saguna Śiva as a means to concentrate devotion and invoke grace, which in Śaiva Siddhānta is the decisive factor for liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga worship using scented water mixed with red sandal paste, offer red flowers and sesame, and include kuśa and akṣata—ideally while maintaining japa of a Śiva-mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya").