Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

वह्निबीजं समुच्चार्य त्वादधीताग्निमासने । योनिमार्गेण वा तद्वदात्मनः संमुखेन वा

Transliteration

vahnibījaṃ samuccārya tvādadhītāgnimāsane | yonimārgeṇa vā tadvadātmanaḥ saṃmukhena vā

Translation

Nachdem man das Feuer-Bīja-Mantra (vahni-bīja) deutlich ausgesprochen hat, soll man es im eigenen Innern auf den „Sitz des Agni“ legen — entweder über den Yoni-Pfad (den schöpferischen Kanal) oder ebenso vor sich, das Antlitz nach innen gewandt. So entzündet der Sādhaka das reinigende Feuer des Mantras, um die Fesseln (pāśa) zu lösen und die Seele als paśu dem Herrn (Pati), Śiva, zuzuwenden.

Word by Word

• वह्नि-बीजम्: the fire-seed (mantra-syllable of fire)
• वह्नि-बीजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• समुच्चार्य: having pronounced
• समुच्चार्य: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘समुच्चार्य’ = having pronounced clearly/aloud

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक/अन्वय (emphatic “then/indeed”)

• आदधीत: should place/establish
• आदधीत: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘आदधीत’ = should place/establish

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

• आसने: on the seat/altar
• आसने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• योनि-मार्गेण: by the yoni-path/route
• योनि-मार्गेण: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; मार्ग/विधि-करण (by the yoni-path/route)

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

• तद्वत्: likewise/in the same way
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यक्रियावाचक (adverb “in that same manner/likewise”)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• संमुखेन: facing (in front)
• संमुखेन: Karana (करण/Means; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (manner/means)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: vahni-bījam (unspecified in the verse; traditionally could be ‘raṃ’ as agni-bīja in later tantric usage, but not stated here)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-śuddhi through the “inner Agni”: by installing the fire-seed in one’s subtle center, the sādhaka burns impurities and loosens pāśa (bondage), turning the paśu (individual soul) toward Pati (Shiva).

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

The verse presents internalized worship (antaryāga): instead of only external offerings to the Liṅga, the practitioner performs a subtle installation of mantra in the inner altar, which supports Saguna upāsanā and matures it toward deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A form of mantra-nyāsa/dhāraṇā: recite the fire seed (vahnibīja) and mentally place it in the agni-āsana (inner fire center), either through the yoni-mārga visualization or directly before one’s inward-facing awareness.