Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

पाद्यादिमुखवासांतमर्घ्याद्यं चातिसंकटे । पुष्पविक्षेपमात्रं वा कुर्याद्भावपुरस्सरम्

Transliteration

pādyādimukhavāsāṃtamarghyādyaṃ cātisaṃkaṭe | puṣpavikṣepamātraṃ vā kuryādbhāvapurassaram

Translation

Beginning with the offering of water for the feet (pādya) and ending with the offering for the mouth (mukhavāsa), and also arghya and the rest—when one is in extreme difficulty, one may perform only the simple act of scattering flowers, provided it is done with heartfelt devotion placed foremost.

Word by Word

• पाद्यादिमुखवासान्तम्: from pādya etc. up to mukhavāsa
• पाद्यादिमुखवासान्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of ‘अर्घ्याद्यम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मुखवास (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाससमूहः (determinative chain): पाद्य-आदि (starting with pādya) + मुखवास-अन्त (ending with mouth-perfume); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘up to/ending with’ अर्थे ‘अन्त’

• अर्घ्याद्यम्: (offerings) beginning with arghya
• अर्घ्याद्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: अर्घ्यं आदिः यस्य/यत्र (beginning with arghya); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• अतिसंकटे: in extreme difficulty
• अतिसंकटे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Condition-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + संकटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग-प्रयोगे सम्भवः; ‘in great difficulty’ (अति- उपसर्गपूर्वक)

• पुष्पविक्षेपमात्रम्: only the scattering of flowers
• पुष्पविक्षेपमात्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: पुष्पस्य विक्षेपः (throwing of flowers) + मात्र (only); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Option)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Disjunctive particle)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भावपुरस्सरम्: with devotion foremost
• भावपुरस्सरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरस्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: भावः पुरः यस्य (with feeling in front/preceding); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Teaches that in constraint (ati-saṃkaṭa), bhāva (inner devotion) can substitute for elaborate upacāras—supporting accessible worship for all devotees.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that in Shaiva devotion, inner bhāva (sincere reverence) is primary; when full ritual is impossible, even a minimal offering done with devotion becomes spiritually complete and pleasing to Shiva.

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

Linga worship often includes a sequence of upacāras (pādya, arghya, etc.). This verse affirms that Saguna worship of Shiva through the Linga is valid even in a reduced form—flower-offering alone—so long as devotion and remembrance of Shiva are central.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

When constrained, offer flowers (or mentally offer them) while placing devotion first—ideally accompanied by Shiva-smaraṇa and simple japa such as the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” as a focused act of worship.