Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

वितस्तिद्विगुणोन्नत्या नाभिमन्तः प्रचक्षते । मध्यं च मध्यमांगुल्या मध्यमोत्तमपर्वणोः

Transliteration

vitastidviguṇonnatyā nābhimantaḥ pracakṣate | madhyaṃ ca madhyamāṃgulyā madhyamottamaparvaṇoḥ

Translation

Man erklärt, dass der Bereich um den Nabel sich bis zur Höhe des Doppelten einer vitasti (einer Spanne) erstreckt. Und die „Mitte“ wird am Mittelfinger angegeben, an der Verbindung zwischen seiner mittleren und oberen Phalanx.

Word by Word

• वितस्तिद्विगुणोन्नत्या: by an elevation twice a vitasti (span)
• वितस्तिद्विगुणोन्नत्या: Karana (करण/Measure as means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वितस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विगुण (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्नति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वितस्तेः द्विगुणा उन्नतिः)

• नाभिमन्तः: those who know the navel-measure / authorities
• नाभिमन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभिमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रचक्षते: declare/state
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मध्यम्: the middle (measure/point)
• मध्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—what is defined)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• मध्यमाङ्गुल्या: by the middle finger
• मध्यमाङ्गुल्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मध्यमाया अङ्गुल्याः)

• मध्यमोत्तमपर्वणोः: of the middle and upper joints (phalanges)
• मध्यमोत्तमपर्वणोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व (मध्यमं च उत्तमं च पर्वणी)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the body as a disciplined field for sādhana—precise measures and ‘central points’ support steadiness in worship and yoga, helping the bound soul (paśu) turn toward the Lord (Pati) through ordered practice.

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

Such measurement language commonly underlies ritual exactness—how one marks, places, and attends to sacred centers—so outer worship of Saguna Shiva (like Liṅga-pūjā) becomes aligned with inner focus and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is careful bodily alignment and attention to central points while doing japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī) or dhyāna, using traditional measures as aids for steadiness rather than as ends in themselves.