Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

द्वितीयतृतीयावरणपूजाक्रमः | The Sequence of the Second and Third Enclosure Worship (Āvaraṇa-pūjā)

Devanagari script

तत्राष्टौ प्रथमं पूज्याः वाह्नेयादि यथाक्रमम् । देवदेवः पूर्वपत्रे ईशानं चाग्निगोचरे

Transliteration

tatrāṣṭau prathamaṃ pūjyāḥ vāhneyādi yathākramam | devadevaḥ pūrvapatre īśānaṃ cāgnigocare

Translation

Dort sind die acht (Gottheiten) zuerst zu verehren, beginnend mit der des südöstlichen Viertels und dann der rechten Ordnung folgend. Auf dem östlichen Blütenblatt ist der Devadeva (Śiva), und im Bereich Agnis ist Īśāna.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (गणनायाम्), प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Numeral used substantively; Nominative Plural)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative): ‘first/at first’

• पूज्याः: to be worshipped
• पूज्याः: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + य (कृदन्त; यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘पूजनीयाः’

• वाह्नेयादि: starting with the southeast (vāhneyā etc.)
• वाह्नेयादि: विशेषण/निर्देश (Specifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाह्नेय-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आदि’युक्त-समाहार (vāhneyādi = beginning with the southeast)

• यथा: according as
• यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/according to)

• क्रमम्: in order/sequence
• क्रमम्: क्रियाविशेषणार्थे कर्म (Accusative of manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् ‘यथाक्रमम्’ = adverbial phrase

• देवदेवः: God of gods
• देवदेवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• पूर्वपत्रे: in the eastern petal/leaf
• पूर्वपत्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-पत्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna
• ईशानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• अग्निगोचरे: in the sphere/region of Agni (fire)
• अग्निगोचरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि-गोचर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana
• Agni

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship should be performed with inner and outer order—honouring the divine powers in their proper directions—so the mind becomes aligned and fit to recognize Śiva as the supreme Pati (Lord) beyond the cosmos.

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

The verse reflects a saguna (form-based) worship method: arranging petals/directions and invoking Śiva and His aspects (like Īśāna). Such structured upacāra supports concentration, making the Liṅga-pūjā a doorway to realizing Śiva’s higher, transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests directional/lotus (maṇḍala) worship performed sequentially—beginning from the south-east—while meditating on Śiva as Devadeva and invoking Īśāna in connection with the purifying fire principle (Agni), optionally supported by mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) during the sequence.