Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 51

समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

तमादाय तया नाड्या मंत्री संहारमुद्रया । न पूरकेण निवेश्यैनमेकीभावार्थमात्मनः

Transliteration

tamādāya tayā nāḍyā maṃtrī saṃhāramudrayā | na pūrakeṇa niveśyainamekībhāvārthamātmanaḥ

Translation

Then, taking it up through that nāḍī, the adept of mantra—by the saṃhāra (withdrawal) mudrā—should place it within, not by inhalation (pūraka), but for the purpose of merging it into the Self in oneness.

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (consciousness)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: दा with उपसर्ग आ; अर्थ: having taken

• तया: by that
• तया: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नाड्या: through the nāḍī
• नाड्या: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• मन्त्री: the mantra-practitioner
• मन्त्री: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• संहार-मुद्रया: by the saṃhāra mudrā
• संहार-मुद्रया: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘by the saṃhāra-mudrā’)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Niṣedha/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• पूरकेण: by inhalation (pūraka)
• पूरकेण: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; प्राणायाम-विशेष (inhalation)

• निवेश्य: having placed
• निवेश्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विश् (धातु) (causative sense)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: विश् with उपसर्ग नि; प्रयोगार्थ: ‘having placed/inserted’

• एनम्: this (him)
• एनम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एकीभाव-अर्थम्: for the purpose of unity
• एकीभाव-अर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकीभाव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘for the purpose of oneness’)

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Microcosmic saṃhāra: withdrawal of prāṇa/caitanya into the Self, mirroring cosmic dissolution.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches inward withdrawal (saṃhāra) where mantra-awareness is gathered through the subtle channels and dissolved into the Self, aiming at ekībhāva—steadfast inner unity with Pati (Shiva) beyond outward technique.

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

External worship culminates in internalization: the devotee’s mantra and attention are withdrawn from forms and placed within, so Saguna devotion becomes a doorway to realizing Shiva’s indwelling presence and inner union.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative saṃhāra-mudrā practice: draw mantra-awareness through a nāḍī and place it inward for absorption, emphasizing inner dissolution rather than relying on breath-inhalation (pūraka) as the primary method.