Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 63

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

विद्याकोशं प्रतिष्ठाप्य यजेत्पुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् । विद्यायाः पुरतः कृत्वा गुरोरपि च मण्डलम्

Transliteration

vidyākośaṃ pratiṣṭhāpya yajetpuṣpādibhiḥ kramāt | vidyāyāḥ purataḥ kṛtvā gurorapi ca maṇḍalam

Translation

Nachdem die «Schatzkammer des Wissens» (vidyākośa) ordnungsgemäß eingesetzt ist, soll man sie der Reihe nach mit Blumen und dergleichen verehren. Indem man sie vor Vidyā platziert, soll man auch eine Maṇḍala für den Guru bereiten (und ihn entsprechend verehren).

Word by Word

• विद्या-कोशम्: the Vidyā-kośa (ritual receptacle)
• विद्या-कोशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विद्यायाः कोशः (container/covering of Vidyā; ritual receptacle)

• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: having installed
• प्रतिष्ठाप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having installed/established’

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुष्प-आदिभिः: with flowers and the like
• पुष्प-आदिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; पुष्पादि-द्रव्यैः (with flowers etc.)

• क्रमात्: in order/stepwise
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial ablative: in due order/gradually)

• विद्यायाः: of Vidyā
• विद्यायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (in front of)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having made’

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थ (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• मण्डलम्: a maṇḍala (diagram)
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Vidyā (personified sacred knowledge)

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred knowledge (Vidyā) is approached through disciplined worship and reverence to the Guru—because right knowledge, supported by proper practice, is what loosens pāśa (bondage) and turns the soul toward Pati (Śiva).

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

Even when the immediate rite is for Vidyā and the Guru, the Shaiva framework treats them as gateways to Śiva: Saguna worship (offerings, maṇḍala, sequence) purifies the devotee so that Śiva-tattva can be realized through right understanding and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Install a sacred focus for Vidyā (a seat, text, or emblem), worship it with flowers and prescribed offerings in sequence, and prepare a maṇḍala for the Guru—centering the mind in orderly pūjā and Guru-remembrance before study or mantra-practice.