Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

निर्गम्य पावके बाह्ये लीनं बिंबाकृति स्मरेत् । आज्यसंस्कारपर्यंतमन्वाधानपुरस्सरम्

Transliteration

nirgamya pāvake bāhye līnaṃ biṃbākṛti smaret | ājyasaṃskāraparyaṃtamanvādhānapurassaram

Translation

Having drawn (awareness) outward into the external sacred fire, one should meditate on the subtle, emblem-like form as merged within it—beginning with the anvādhāna rite and continuing up to the ājya-saṃskāra, the consecration of ghee.

Word by Word

• निर्गम्य: having emerged
• निर्गम्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्गम् (धातु: निर्+गम्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive), 'having gone out'

• पावके: in the fire
• पावके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• बाह्ये: external/outside
• बाह्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• लीनम्: merged/absorbed
• लीनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लीन (प्रातिपदिक); लीन = ली (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• बिम्बाकृतिम्: a disc-like form (orb-shape)
• बिम्बाकृतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिम्ब-आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्मरेत्: should contemplate/remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• आज्यसंस्कारपर्यन्तम्: up to the ghee-consecration
• आज्यसंस्कारपर्यन्तम्: Avadhi (अवधि/Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आज्य-संस्कार-पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: 'up to')

• अन्वाधानपुरस्सरम्: preceded by the anuvādhāna rite
• अन्वाधानपुरस्सरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वाधान-पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies the procedure/act implied)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links outer Vedic ritual (fire and ghee consecration) with inner Shaiva contemplation, teaching that purification through rite should culminate in meditation on Shiva’s subtle, emblem-like presence, leading the soul (paśu) toward Pati through disciplined practice.

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

The term biṃbākṛti points to an iconic, graspable support for meditation—akin to the Liṅga as a sacred emblem—so the practitioner contemplates Shiva’s presence as inwardly merged in the purifying fire while still using a saguna support for concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform the preparatory fire-rite (anvādhāna) and proceed through the ghee consecration (ājya-saṃskāra) while maintaining continuous dhyāna—remembering a subtle emblem-form of Shiva as dissolved in the sacred fire.