Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 60

अन्तराय-उपसर्ग-विवेचनम् / Analysis of Yogic Obstacles (Antarāyas) and Upasargas

Devanagari script

स्वदेहायतनस्यांतर्विचिंत्य शिवमंबया । हृत्पद्मपीठिकामध्ये ध्यानयज्ञेन पूजयेत्

Transliteration

svadehāyatanasyāṃtarviciṃtya śivamaṃbayā | hṛtpadmapīṭhikāmadhye dhyānayajñena pūjayet

Translation

Indem man im Inneren der eigenen Körperstätte Śiva zusammen mit Ambā (der Göttlichen Mutter) betrachtet, soll man Ihn auf dem Sitz im Herzlotus verehren und das Opfer der Meditation darbringen.

Word by Word

• sva: one's own
• sva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Indeclinable/nominal stem used as पूर्वपद; reflexive ‘own’ (स्व)

• deha: body
• deha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Masculine stem; used as पूर्वपद

• āyatana: abode, locus
• āyatana: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyatana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem; ‘abode/seat’ (आयतन)

• sva-deha-āyatana-sya: of the abode within one’s body
• sva-deha-āyatana-sya: Adhikaraṇa-sambandha (अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + deha + āyatana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of the abode (āyatana) of one’s body’

• antaḥ: within
• antaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: antaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb/postposition meaning ‘inside/within’ (अन्तः)

• viciṃtya: having contemplated
• viciṃtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + cint (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having contemplated’

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ambayā: with/through the Mother (Ambā)
• ambayā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• hṛt: heart
• hṛt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘heart’; used as पूर्वपद

• padma: lotus
• padma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘lotus’; used as पूर्वपद

• pīṭhikā: pedestal, seat
• pīṭhikā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīṭhikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Feminine stem ‘pedestal/seat’; used as पूर्वपद

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the middle’

• hṛt-padma-pīṭhikā-madhye: in the center of the heart-lotus seat
• hṛt-padma-pīṭhikā-madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd + padma + pīṭhikā + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष chain: ‘in the middle of the pedestal of the heart-lotus’

• dhyāna: meditation
• dhyāna: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘meditation’; used as पूर्वपद

• yajñena: by sacrifice/rite
• yajñena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• dhyāna-yajñena: by the meditation-sacrifice
• dhyāna-yajñena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāna + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘by the sacrifice in the form of meditation’

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Teaches antaryāga (inner worship): realizing Śiva in the heart-lotus grants purification of pāśa (bondage) and prepares for Śiva-anugraha (grace).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches antaryāga—inner worship—where the body is treated as a temple and Śiva is realized in the heart-lotus with Śakti (Ambā). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this refines the soul (paśu) and loosens bondage (pāśa) through steady contemplation of the Lord (Pati).

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

The “pedestal in the heart-lotus” functions as an internal altar for Saguna upāsanā: the devotee visualizes Śiva (often as the inner liṅga or the seated Lord) together with Ambā and performs worship mentally, mirroring outer liṅga-pūjā but inwardly.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna-yajña (meditative sacrifice): visualize Śiva-Śakti within, seat them in the heart-lotus, and offer mental upacāras (invocation, reverence, mantra-japa such as the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and focused contemplation) as the core act of worship.