Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

संप्रोक्ष्य कल्पयेद्दर्भैः पुष्पैर्वा वह्निविष्टरम् । अर्चनार्थं च होमार्थं सर्वद्रव्याणि साधयेत्

Transliteration

saṃprokṣya kalpayeddarbhaiḥ puṣpairvā vahniviṣṭaram | arcanārthaṃ ca homārthaṃ sarvadravyāṇi sādhayet

Translation

Nachdem man Ort und Materialien durch Besprengen mit geweihtem Wasser gereinigt hat, richte man das vahni-viṣṭara (den Sitz des Feuers) mit Darbha-Gras oder mit Blumen her. Zum Zweck der arcanā (Verehrung) und des homa (Feueropfers) bereite man alle erforderlichen Ritualsubstanzen ordnungsgemäß vor.

Word by Word

• संप्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• संप्रोक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having well sprinkled’

• कल्पयेत्: should arrange/prepare
• कल्पयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु) [णिच् causative: कल्पय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दर्भैः: with darbha grass
• दर्भैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• वह्निविष्टरम्: the fire-seat/altar arrangement
• वह्निविष्टरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि + विष्टर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—वह्नेः विष्टरः (fire-altar/seat for fire)

• अर्चनार्थम्: for worship
• अर्चनार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; समासः—अर्चनस्य अर्थः (for worship)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• होमार्थम्: for homa (fire-offering)
• होमार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; समासः—होमस्य अर्थः (for oblation)

• सर्वद्रव्याणि: all materials
• सर्वद्रव्याणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः—सर्वाणि द्रव्याणि (all materials)

• साधयेत्: should procure/prepare
• साधयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: साध् (धातु) [णिच् causative: साधय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

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 outer purity and careful preparation in worship support inner steadiness (bhakti) toward Shiva, aligning the devotee’s action with sacred order before approaching the Lord.

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

It describes practical preliminaries—purification, arranging the ritual space, and gathering offerings—commonly undertaken before Linga-arcana and Shaiva homa, honoring Shiva in a tangible (saguṇa) mode of devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform saṁprokṣaṇa (sprinkling for purification), prepare the fire-seat with darbha or flowers, and assemble the full set of puja and homa substances—then proceed with Shiva worship, ideally accompanied by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).