Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

सर्वावरणदेवानां बहिर्वा पञ्चमे ऽथवा । पञ्चमे मातृभिस्सार्धं महोक्ष पुरतो यजेत्

Transliteration

sarvāvaraṇadevānāṃ bahirvā pañcame 'thavā | pañcame mātṛbhissārdhaṃ mahokṣa purato yajet

Translation

Man soll alle Gottheiten der schützenden Umkreise (āvaraṇa) verehren, sei es außerhalb oder im fünften Umkreis. In diesem fünften Umkreis soll man zusammen mit den Mātṛkās (den Müttern) die Verehrung vollziehen, indem man Mahokṣa, den Großen Stier, vorne aufstellt—und so das Gefolge des Herrn der rechten Ordnung gemäß ehrt, bevor man sich dem höchsten Śiva nähert.

Word by Word

• सर्वावरणदेवानाम्: of the deities of all enclosures
• सर्वावरणदेवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-बहुव्रीह्यर्थसम्भव: ‘सर्वेषु आवरणेषु ये देवाः’ → ‘सर्वावरणदेवाः’); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: or)

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth (enclosure)
• पञ्चमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or else)

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth (enclosure)
• पञ्चमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• मातृभिः: with the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृभिः: Sahakāraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (postposition-like indeclinable: together with)

• महोक्ष: the great bull (Nandin)
• महोक्ष: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा (vocative sense possible)

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (in front of)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Proper āvaraṇa-pūjā with Nandī and Mātṛkās is taught as a means to remove impediments and make the worshipper fit (adhikārin) to approach Śiva.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: protective

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi
• Matris (Matrikas)

FAQs

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

It teaches that approaching Shiva is done with reverence for the divine order: the protective deities and Shiva’s attendants are honoured first, reflecting humility and alignment with Pati (Shiva) through his sacred entourage.

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

In Linga/Saguna worship, the ‘āvaraṇa’ (enclosures) represent supporting powers around the central reality of Shiva; worshipping them—especially with Nandi before the shrine—completes the rite and stabilizes devotion toward the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform āvaraṇa-pūjā in sequence, placing/worshipping Nandi (Mahokṣa) facing the main Shiva focus, and honouring the Mātṛkās in the prescribed enclosure before proceeding to the principal offerings.