Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माणमागतं दृष्ट्वा देवी देवगणैः सह । अर्घ्यं तदर्हं दत्त्वा ऽस्मै स्वागताद्यैरुपाचरत्

Transliteration

brahmāṇamāgataṃ dṛṣṭvā devī devagaṇaiḥ saha | arghyaṃ tadarhaṃ dattvā 'smai svāgatādyairupācarat

Translation

Seeing Brahmā arrive, the Goddess—together with the hosts of devas—offered him the arghya worthy of his station, and then honored him with words and acts of welcome and other courtesies.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आगतम्: arrived
• आगतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ब्रह्माणम् इति विशेषण

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• देवगणैः: with the hosts of gods
• देवगणैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/सह), बहुवचन; समासः—देवगणैः = देवानां गणैः (groups of gods)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक

• अर्घ्यम्: arghya-offering (water of honor)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अर्घ्यम् इति विशेषण

• अर्हम्: proper, worthy
• अर्हम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘fit/proper’; अर्घ्यम् इति विशेषण

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having given’

• अस्मै: to him
• अस्मै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्वागत: welcome
• स्वागत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वागत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• आद्यैः: with (acts) beginning with welcome
• आद्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—स्वागताद्यैः = स्वागतं आदिः येषां तैः (with welcome etc.)

• उपाचरत्: she attended/served (honoured)
• उपाचरत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages, Vayu Samhita narrative style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devi
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights dharmic humility and sacred hospitality: even exalted beings are honored through proper upacāra, reflecting devotion expressed as reverent action—an outer discipline that supports inner purity in the Shaiva path.

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

The same “welcome” protocol (arghya and upacāras) is central to Saguna worship—treating the Linga as the living presence of Pati (Śiva) and offering respectful reception, which trains the devotee in attentive bhakti and ritual correctness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice upacāra-pūjā: begin worship with āvāhana and arghya (respectful offering), then proceed with welcoming honors; internally, cultivate the bhāva of receiving the Divine with sincerity and steadiness of mind.