Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

उपर्यधः परित्यज्य गृह्णीयात्पतितं यदि । पिंडीकृत्य शिवाग्न्यादौ तत्क्षिपेन्मूलमंत्रतः

Transliteration

uparyadhaḥ parityajya gṛhṇīyātpatitaṃ yadi | piṃḍīkṛtya śivāgnyādau tatkṣipenmūlamaṃtrataḥ

Translation

Wenn etwas herabgefallen ist (und unrein wurde), soll man es weder von oben noch von unten berühren. Man sammle es, forme es zu einem Klumpen und werfe es in das Śiva-Feuer (das geweihte Ritualfeuer), begleitet von der Rezitation des Wurzelmantras, wodurch die rituelle Reinheit durch Śivas Mantra und Feuer wiederhergestellt wird.

Word by Word

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘above’

• अधः: below
• अधः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘below/down’

• परित्यज्य: having discarded
• परित्यज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having abandoned/left’

• गृह्णीयात्: should take
• गृह्णीयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद; ‘should take’

• पतितम्: fallen (down)
• पतितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण (qualifier of object)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• पिण्डीकृत्य: having formed into a lump
• पिण्डीकृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिण्डी-कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having made into a lump’

• शिव-अग्नि-आदौ: in/into Śiva’s fire etc. (the sacred fire)
• शिव-अग्नि-आदौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (निर्देश/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘शिवस्य अग्निः’ + ‘आदि’; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘that (it)’

• क्षिपेत्: should cast/place
• क्षिपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should throw/place’

• मूल-मन्त्रतः: by/according to the root-mantra
• मूल-मन्त्रतः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव) ‘मूलः मन्त्रः’; पञ्चमी (ablative) एकवचन, अव्ययीभावार्थे (instrumental sense via -तः): ‘by/according to’; हेतौ/प्रकारे

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (mūla-mantra implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that ritual impurity is resolved not merely by physical handling but by re-sanctifying the act through Śiva—using consecrated fire and the root mantra, emphasizing Shiva (Pati) as the ultimate purifier.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, offerings and ritual implements must remain ritually fit; when something becomes “fallen,” it is returned to Shiva through the Śiva-fire and mantra, preserving the sanctity of Linga-upachara and puja discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical rite: gather the fallen item without improper contact, form it into a lump, and offer it into the consecrated Śiva-fire while reciting the root mantra (commonly understood in Shaiva practice as the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).