Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

हृदयाद्यस्त्रपर्यंतमथवापि समर्चयेत् । तद्बहिः पूर्वतः शक्रं यमं दक्षिणतो यजेत्

Transliteration

hṛdayādyastraparyaṃtamathavāpi samarcayet | tadbahiḥ pūrvataḥ śakraṃ yamaṃ dakṣiṇato yajet

Translation

Man soll die Mantra‑Gottheiten ordnungsgemäß verehren, beginnend mit dem Hṛdaya (Herz) und fortfahrend bis zum Astra (Waffe) — oder sie in dieser vollständigen Folge verehren. Außerhalb dieses inneren Kreises verehre man Śakra (Indra) im Osten und Yama im Süden.

Word by Word

• हृदय-आदि-अस्त्र-पर्यन्तम्: up to (from) the heart etc. up to the astra
• हृदय-आदि-अस्त्र-पर्यन्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-द्वितीया-आकारान्त रूपेण अव्ययवत्; ‘up to …’ (limit)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बोधन/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship
• समर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person), एकवचन; विध्यर्थ (should worship)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (outside)

• पूर्वतः: to the east/from the east side
• पूर्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्/देशवाचक (from the east/eastward)

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• दक्षिणतः: to the south/from the south side
• दक्षिणतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्/देशवाचक (from the south/southward)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; विध्यर्थ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: kavaca

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Shakra)
• Yama

FAQs

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

It shows that Shaiva worship is both inward and outward: first sanctifying the practitioner through anga/nyāsa-style worship (heart through astra), then harmonizing the outer directions by honoring cosmic guardians—so the devotee’s body-mind and ritual space become fit for Śiva’s presence.

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

In Linga/Saguna Śiva worship, the inner mantra-deities (hṛdaya to astra) protect and consecrate the worshipper and the rite, while the placement of Indra (east) and Yama (south) establishes a guarded mandala around the Linga, supporting focused devotion and right order in the pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a structured sequence akin to anga-mantra worship/nyāsa (from hṛdaya to astra), followed by directional worship (dikpāla-style), specifically offering to Indra in the east and Yama in the south as part of the outer protective circle of the ritual.