Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

रक्ताग्नेयी नैरृती च कृष्णान्या सुप्रभा मता । अतिरिक्ता मरुज्जिह्वा स्वनामानुगुणप्रभा

Transliteration

raktāgneyī nairṛtī ca kṛṣṇānyā suprabhā matā | atiriktā marujjihvā svanāmānuguṇaprabhā

Translation

Raktāgneyī und Nairṛtī sowie eine weitere Kraft namens Kṛṣṇā gelten als Suprabhā. Ebenso leuchten Atiriktā und Marujjihvā mit einem Glanz, der ihren eigenen Namen entspricht.

Word by Word

• रक्ताग्नेयी: the red ‘Āgneyī’ (flame/tongue)
• रक्ताग्नेयी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + आग्नेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (रक्ता च सा आग्नेयी च)

• नैरृती: (the one) named Nairṛtī
• नैरृती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृष्णा: black/dark
• कृष्णा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्या: another
• अन्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुप्रभा: Suprabhā (very bright)
• सुप्रभा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु-प्रभा = ‘very bright’)

• मता: is considered
• मता: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘considered/held to be’

• अतिरिक्ता: additional/exceeding
• अतिरिक्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + रिक्त (प्रातिपदिक; रिच्/रिक्-धातु से क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मरुत्: wind (Marut)
• मरुत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासपूर्वपद)

• जिह्वा: tongue/flame
• जिह्वा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वनाम: its own name
• स्वनाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासपूर्वपद); तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य नाम)

• अनुगुण: appropriate to
• अनुगुण: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासमध्यपद); ‘conforming/appropriate’

• प्रभा: splendour/brightness
• प्रभा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (समासोत्तरपद)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse lists divine powers (śaktis) whose very names indicate their qualities, teaching that in Shiva’s manifest domain, name, form, and function correspond—Shakti expresses Pati (Shiva) through distinct modes of radiance.

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

In Saguna worship, devotees approach Shiva through recognizable attributes and energies; these named śaktis point to Shiva’s accessible manifestations, supporting contemplation of the Linga as the unified source from which varied powers appear.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa (recollection of divine names) with dhyāna on their indicated qualities—using the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to integrate all powers back into Shiva as the supreme Pati.