Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17
न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया
Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification
अंगन्यासं ततः कृत्वा शिवोक्तेन तु वर्त्मना । वर्णन्यासं ततः कुर्याद्धस्तपादादिसंधिषु । षडंगानि ततो न्यस्य जातिषट्कयुतानि च । दिग्बंधमाचरेत्पश्चादाग्नेयादि यथाक्रमम्
aṃganyāsaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā śivoktena tu vartmanā | varṇanyāsaṃ tataḥ kuryāddhastapādādisaṃdhiṣu | ṣaḍaṃgāni tato nyasya jātiṣaṭkayutāni ca | digbaṃdhamācaretpaścādāgneyādi yathākramam
Then, following the method taught by Lord Śiva, one should perform aṅga-nyāsa. After that, one should do varṇa-nyāsa on the joints of the hands, feet, and other limbs. Next, placing the six aṅgas (the six mantra-auxiliaries) together with the six classes (jātis) of sounds, one should thereafter perform dig-bandha (the sealing of the directions), beginning with the Agni quarter and proceeding in due order.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Type: kavaca
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva-mantra worship is not merely external: by nyāsa, the sādhaka consecrates the body as a temple of Pati (Śiva), purifying the pashu (individual soul) and preparing the mind for steadiness and grace (anugraha).
Nyāsa and dig-bandha are preparatory acts before saguna upāsanā such as Liṅga-pūjā: they sanctify the limbs, invoke mantra-śakti into the practitioner, and establish a protected sacred space for Śiva’s embodied worship.
It prescribes aṅga-nyāsa and varṇa-nyāsa (placing mantra/syllables on limbs and joints), followed by ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa and dig-bandha (directional sealing), typically done before japa of the Pañcākṣarī or related Śaiva mantras.