Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48
समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout
Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha
प्रोक्षणं ताडनं कृत्वा शिशोस्स्वात्मानमात्मनि । शिवात्मकमनुस्मृत्य स्फुरंतं विस्फुलिंगवत्
prokṣaṇaṃ tāḍanaṃ kṛtvā śiśossvātmānamātmani | śivātmakamanusmṛtya sphuraṃtaṃ visphuliṃgavat
Having performed the sprinkling of sanctified water and the gentle ritual tapping, one should place the child’s individual self within one’s own Self; then, remembering that Self as of the nature of Śiva, one should contemplate it as throbbing forth—like a spark leaping out.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches a Shaiva contemplative rite: after outer purification, one turns inward and remembers the jiva as ultimately belonging to Śiva—awakening a vivid, spark-like intuition of Śiva-consciousness that loosens bondage (pāśa).
The ritual actions (sprinkling and tapping) resemble preparatory saṃskāra-style purification found in Saguna worship; the inner step—remembering the Self as Śiva—transforms external worship into internal linga-bhāvanā, where the ‘mark’ (liṅga) is realized within consciousness.
Begin with purification (prokṣaṇa), perform a gentle ritual touch (tāḍana), then practice śivātma-anusmṛti—steady recollection that the inner self is oriented to Śiva—visualizing awareness ‘flashing’ like a spark; accompany it with japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) if appropriate.