Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

अन्यं वाभ्यर्हितं वह्निं ततः साधारमानयेत् । त्रिः प्रदक्षिणमावृत्य कुण्डादेरुपरि क्रमात्

Transliteration

anyaṃ vābhyarhitaṃ vahniṃ tataḥ sādhāramānayet | triḥ pradakṣiṇamāvṛtya kuṇḍāderupari kramāt

Translation

Oder man bringe ein anderes, gebührend verehrtes heiliges Feuer herbei und füge es dem gemeinsamen Ritualfeuer hinzu. Nachdem man dreimal in glückverheißender Rechtswendung (pradakṣiṇā) umschritten hat, schreite man Schritt für Schritt über den Bereich oberhalb der Feuergrube (kuṇḍa) und des angrenzenden Ritualbodens.

Word by Word

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘वह्निम्’ विशेषण

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

• अभ्यर्हितम्: duly honored/fitly worshipped
• अभ्यर्हितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यर्हित (प्रातिपदिक; from अभि+अर्ह् धातु, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वह्निम्’ विशेषण

• वह्निम्: fire
• वह्निम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमसूचक (ablatival adverb “then/from there/thereafter”)

• साधारम्: ordinary/common
• साधारम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वह्निम्’ विशेषण (common/ordinary)

• आनयेत्: should bring
• आनयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• त्रिः: three times
• त्रिः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb “thrice”)

• प्रदक्षिणम्: clockwise (in pradakṣiṇā)
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (as indeclinable adverb “clockwise/keeping right”); मूलतः नपुंसक द्वितीया एकवचन

• आवृत्य: having circumambulated
• आवृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘आवृत्य’ = having gone around

• कुण्ड-आदेः: of the fire-pit etc.
• कुण्ड-आदेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास); पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘कुण्डादेः’ = of the pit etc.

• उपरि: above/on
• उपरि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb “above/on”)

• क्रमात्: in order/step by step
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थ (ablatival adverbial: “in due order/step by step”)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship is supported by disciplined sacred procedure: honoring the consecrated fire and performing pradakṣiṇā with reverence trains the mind toward order, purity, and devotion—outer alignment that supports inner surrender to Pati (Shiva).

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, homa and pradakṣiṇā are auxiliary limbs (aṅgas) that sanctify the worshipper’s body-mind and the ritual space; this ordered movement around the kuṇḍa mirrors circumambulation of the Shiva-liṅga, expressing devotion and recognition of Shiva as the spiritual center.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform three clockwise circumambulations (trir-pradakṣiṇā) of the fire-pit/ritual ground with steady, mindful steps, maintaining reverence for the consecrated fire—ideally while holding a Shaiva attitude of japa (such as the pañcākṣarī) internally.