Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 44

न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया

Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification

Devanagari script

ध्यानयज्ञो ज्ञानयज्ञः पञ्च यज्ञाः प्रकीर्तिताः । कर्मयज्ञरताः केचित्तपोयज्ञरताः परे । जपयज्ञरताश्चान्ये ध्यानयज्ञरतास्तथा

Transliteration

dhyānayajño jñānayajñaḥ pañca yajñāḥ prakīrtitāḥ | karmayajñaratāḥ kecittapoyajñaratāḥ pare | japayajñaratāścānye dhyānayajñaratāstathā

Translation

Meditation as sacrifice and knowledge as sacrifice—thus are the five sacrifices proclaimed. Some are devoted to the sacrifice of prescribed action (karma-yajña), others to the sacrifice of austerity (tapo-yajña); some others are devoted to the sacrifice of mantra-recitation (japa-yajña), and likewise to the sacrifice of meditation (dhyāna-yajña).

Word by Word

• dhyāna-yajñaḥ: meditation-sacrifice
• dhyāna-yajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘yajña of meditation’)

• jñāna-yajñaḥ: knowledge-sacrifice
• jñāna-yajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘yajña of knowledge’)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; (here) Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural sense; agrees with yajñāḥ

• yajñāḥ: sacrifices
• yajñāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prakīrtitāḥ: are proclaimed
• prakīrtitāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kīrt (कीर्त् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; with preverb pra-; agrees with yajñāḥ

• karma-yajña-ratāḥ: devoted to the ritual-action sacrifice
• karma-yajña-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma-yajña (तत्पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; compound: ‘devoted to karma-yajña’ (सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-भावः in sense)

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; indefinite ‘some’

• tapas-yajña-ratāḥ: devoted to the austerity-sacrifice
• tapas-yajña-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapas-yajña (तत्पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘devoted to tapas-yajña’

• pare: others
• pare: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘others’

• japa-yajña-ratāḥ: devoted to the recitation-sacrifice
• japa-yajña-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: japa-yajña (तत्पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘devoted to japa-yajña’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘others’

• dhyāna-yajña-ratāḥ: devoted to the meditation-sacrifice
• dhyāna-yajña-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna-yajña (तत्पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘devoted to dhyāna-yajña’

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It reframes yajña as an inner offering: action, austerity, mantra-recitation, meditation, and knowledge become spiritual sacrifices that purify the soul (paśu) and lead it toward Shiva (Pati), loosening the bonds (pāśa).

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

In Linga/Saguna worship, external rites (karma-yajña) are supported by inner disciplines—japa of Shiva’s mantras, meditation on Shiva, and contemplative knowledge—so devotion matures from ritual to direct inner communion with Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt japa-yajña and dhyāna-yajña: repeat a Shiva-mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady attention, and offer the mind into meditation as the primary inner sacrifice.