Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

पूजयेत्परमं देवं केवलेन शिवेन वा । पाद्यादिमुखवासांतं कृत्वा प्रस्थापनं विना

Transliteration

pūjayetparamaṃ devaṃ kevalena śivena vā | pādyādimukhavāsāṃtaṃ kṛtvā prasthāpanaṃ vinā

Translation

Man soll den Höchsten Herrn verehren—sei es die Absolute Gottheit selbst oder Śiva allein—indem man die Darbringungen von dem Wasser für die Füße (pādya) bis zum Mundduft (mukhavāsa) vollzieht, jedoch ohne die abschließende Entlassung (visarjana) der Gottheit vorzunehmen.

Word by Word

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (परम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying ‘devam’

• devam: the god (Deity)
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kevalena: with only/sole
• kevalena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (केवल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• śivena: by (the mantra/name) Śiva
• śivena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक निपात)

• pādya-ādi-mukha-vāsa-antam: (the worship) from pādya etc. up to mouth-perfuming (rites)
• pādya-ādi-mukha-vāsa-antam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pādya (पाद्य प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (आदि अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (मुख प्रातिपदिक) + vāsa (वास प्रातिपदिक) + anta (अन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; multi-member Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) used adjectivally: ‘ending with mukha-vāsa (mouth-perfuming), beginning with pādya etc.’

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) → kṛtvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta: gerund/absolutive (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• prasthāpanam: installation/setting up (rite)
• prasthāpanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasthāpana (प्रस्थापन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, preposition-like particle governing accusative (उपपद-विभक्ति: द्वितीया)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: kevalena śivena (śiva-nāma-mātra-prayoga implied)

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes uninterrupted devotion: after offering the full sequence of upacāras (from pādya onward), the worshipper maintains Shiva’s presence without “sending Him away,” expressing constant remembrance (smaraṇa) of Pati, the liberating Lord.

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

The verse supports formal Saguna worship through traditional offerings while implying that Shiva’s presence in the Liṅga (or chosen form) is not to be treated as temporary; the devotee’s relationship is continuous rather than merely ceremonial.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform complete Shiva-pūjā with standard offerings (pādya, etc.) and conclude by sustaining inner japa and dhyāna—such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—instead of doing visarjana, keeping the mind established in Shiva.