Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

शैलमेव सितं चूर्णं नातिरूक्षं न दूषितम् । कर्पूरं चाथ कंकोलं जात्यादि च नवं शुभम्

Transliteration

śailameva sitaṃ cūrṇaṃ nātirūkṣaṃ na dūṣitam | karpūraṃ cātha kaṃkolaṃ jātyādi ca navaṃ śubham

Translation

Man soll nur sauberes, weißes Mineralpulver nehmen, weder zu trocken noch verunreinigt. Dazu verwende man Kampfer und Kankola sowie frischen, glückverheißenden Jasmin und ähnliche neue, reine Duftstoffe.

Word by Word

• शैलम्: rock-salt/stone-derived (substance)
• शैलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (शैल-लवण/शैल-चूर्णादि)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सितम्: white
• सितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (चूर्ण-विशेषण)

• चूर्णम्: powder
• चूर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अति-रूक्षम्: overly dry/harsh
• अति-रूक्षम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + rūkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘अत्यन्तं रूक्षम्’—चूर्ण-विशेषणम्

• न: nor/not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• दूषितम्: spoiled/tainted
• दूषितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dūṣita (कृदन्त; √dūṣ (धातु) → क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘spoiled/tainted’

• कर्पूरम्: camphor
• कर्पूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karpūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रारम्भार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• कंकोलम्: cubeb/kaṅkola spice
• कंकोलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṃkola (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जाति-आदि: jāti and the like
• जाति-आदि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāti (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘जात्यादि’ = jāti etc. (a set of aromatics)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नवम्: new/fresh
• नवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शुभम्: auspicious/good
• शुभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes discernment (viveka) in selecting pure substances—mirroring the paśu’s need to discriminate śuddha/āśuddha under māyā’s concealing power (tirodhāna) and turn toward purity.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer purity and careful selection of offerings support inner purity (śuddhi), making devotion steady and sattvic—fit for approaching Pati (Shiva) with reverence.

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

It describes appropriate fragrant and pure materials used in upacāra for Saguna worship of Shiva as the Linga, emphasizing non-contaminated, auspicious substances that honor Shiva’s presence in the consecrated symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use clean, uncontaminated white powder and fresh fragrances (like camphor and jasmine) as offerings in Shiva-puja; maintain moderation (not overly drying/harsh) and purity as a discipline alongside mantra-japa.