Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

संशोध्य प्रोक्षणीपात्रं प्रोक्ष्यतानि तदंभसा । प्रणीतापात्रमैशान्यां विन्यस्या पूरितं जलैः

Transliteration

saṃśodhya prokṣaṇīpātraṃ prokṣyatāni tadaṃbhasā | praṇītāpātramaiśānyāṃ vinyasyā pūritaṃ jalaiḥ

Translation

Nachdem man das Sprenggefäß (prokṣaṇī) gereinigt hat, besprenge man mit eben diesem Wasser die Ritualgegenstände. Dann stelle man das praṇītā-Gefäß in der nordöstlichen Richtung (Īśāna) auf und setze es dort, mit Wasser gefüllt, fest.

Word by Word

• saṃśodhya: having purified
• saṃśodhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-śudh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal; ‘having purified/cleansed’

• prokṣaṇī-pātram: the sprinkling vessel
• prokṣaṇī-pātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prokṣaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prokṣya: having sprinkled
• prokṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ukṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal; ‘having sprinkled’

• tāni: those (items)
• tāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tad-ambhasā: with that water
• tad-ambhasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• praṇīta-pātram: the brought/placed vessel
• praṇīta-pātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √nī) + pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aiśānyām: in the north-east (direction)
• aiśānyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vinyasya: having placed
• vinyasya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-as (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal; ‘having placed/arranged’

• pūritam: filled
• pūritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūr (धातु) → pūrita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘pātram’ understood

• jalaiḥ: with waters
• jalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

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 outer purity in worship—cleansing the vessels and sanctifying items by sprinkling—supports inner purity (śuddhi) and steadiness of mind, making the devotee fit to approach Pati (Shiva) with reverence and discipline.

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

In linga-puja, water is not merely a material offering; it becomes consecrated through proper handling. Placing the water-vessel in the Īśāna (Shiva’s) direction aligns the rite with Saguna Shiva’s sacred orientation and invokes His auspicious presence in the ritual space.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform prokṣaṇa (sanctifying sprinkling) after cleansing the prokṣaṇī vessel, and establish the water-vessel in the north-east (Īśāna) zone. As a meditative support, contemplate Shiva as Īśāna—lord of the north-east—while maintaining purity and mantra-focused attention.