Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41

पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels

Devanagari script

बीजैर्यवादिभिश्शस्तैश्चूर्णैर्माषादिसंभवैः । संस्नाप्यालिप्य पिष्टाद्यैः स्नापयेदुष्णवारिभिः

Transliteration

bījairyavādibhiśśastaiścūrṇairmāṣādisaṃbhavaiḥ | saṃsnāpyālipya piṣṭādyaiḥ snāpayeduṣṇavāribhiḥ

Translation

With auspicious grains such as barley and other seeds, and with fine powders prepared from black gram (māṣa) and similar pulses, one should bathe the sacred emblem, anoint it with pastes and the like, and then bathe it with warm water.

Word by Word

• बीजैः: with seeds
• बीजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• यव-आदिभिः: with barley and the like
• यव-आदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समास/समाहारार्थ (yava etc.)

• शस्तैः: commended, suitable
• शस्तैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘यवादिभिः/चूर्णैः’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चूर्णैः: with powders
• चूर्णैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• माष-आदि-सम्भवैः: made from black-gram etc.
• माष-आदि-सम्भवैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माष-आदि-सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—(माषादिभ्यः सम्भवः) ‘arising from beans etc.’; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘चूर्णैः’)

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed (it)
• संस्नाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+स्ना (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having bathed/washed)

• आलिप्य: having smeared/anointed
• आलिप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+लिप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having anointed/smeared)

• पिष्ट-आद्यैः: with paste and the like
• पिष्ट-आद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिष्ट-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समास (pastes etc.)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (it)/cause (it) to be bathed
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative) ‘to cause to bathe’

• उष्णवारिभिः: with warm water
• उष्णवारिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ण-वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (उष्णं वारि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Details further abhiṣeka procedure (grains, powders, pastes, warm water), emphasizing disciplined service that purifies the worshiper and prepares for Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is expressed through purity and careful offerings—bathing and anointing the Liṅga with auspicious substances symbolizes cleansing the bonds (pāśa) and turning the mind toward Pati, Lord Śiva.

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

The Liṅga is Saguna worship that supports the devotee’s concentration; the repeated bathing, anointing, and warm-water abhiṣeka are prescribed acts that make the heart steady and reverent toward Śiva’s manifest form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a sequence of liṅga-abhiṣeka: bathing with grains/powders, anointing with paste, and finishing with warm water—ideally accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a focused, sattvic mind.