Shloka 15

न्यासवर्णनम् (Nyāsa-varṇanam) — Description of Nyāsa in the Saṃnyāsa Procedure

Devanagari script

मायाधश्छदनं पश्चाद्विद्योर्ध्वच्छदनं ततः । सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव समभ्यर्च्य यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

māyādhaśchadanaṃ paścādvidyordhvacchadanaṃ tataḥ | sattvaṃ rajastamaścaiva samabhyarcya yathākramam

Translation

Then, in due order, one should worship the lower covering of Māyā; thereafter the higher covering of Vidyā; and then the three guṇas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—offering reverence to each in sequence.

Word by Word

• मायाधःछदनम्: the lower covering of māyā
• मायाधःछदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया + अधः + छदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—माया-अधः-छदन (तत्पुरुष) = ‘covering below (by) māyā’

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Desha-Kala (देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = ‘afterwards/then’

• विद्याः: of vidyā
• विद्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• ऊर्ध्वच्छदनम्: the upper covering
• ऊर्ध्वच्छदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व + छदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—ऊर्ध्व-छदन (तत्पुरुष)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = ‘then/thereafter’

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• रजः: rajas (activity)
• रजः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; रूपम्—रजः (अकारान्त-नपुंसकवत् प्रचलित)

• तमः: tamas (inertia)
• तमः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; रूपम्—तमः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• समभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped duly
• समभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/अव्ययभाव), ‘having worshipped fully’

• यथाक्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथाक्रमम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = ‘in due order’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailāsa teachings to the sages, conveying Shaiva philosophical worship in sequence)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya
• Vidyā
• Sattva
• Rajas
• Tamas

FAQs

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

It outlines a contemplative worship-method where the sādhaka recognizes successive “coverings” (Māyā, then Vidyā, then the guṇas) and reverently transcends them, orienting the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) beyond bondage (pāśa).

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

In Saguna worship of Shiva (including Linga-pūjā), the devotee can mentally offer worship through the layers of experience—impurities and guṇas—so that devotion becomes progressively purified, culminating in steadiness toward Shiva who is beyond Māyā and the guṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential meditation (tattva-śuddhi) during Shiva worship: acknowledge Māyā’s lower veil, then the higher veil of Vidyā, then observe and offer the guṇas—sattva, rajas, tamas—back to Shiva, while maintaining japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).