Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 72

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य मनसां देवं सांबं सगणमव्ययम् । देशकालोचितं कृत्वा शौचाद्यमपि शक्तितः

Transliteration

praṇamya manasāṃ devaṃ sāṃbaṃ sagaṇamavyayam | deśakālocitaṃ kṛtvā śaucādyamapi śaktitaḥ

Translation

Having bowed in the mind to the God of all minds—Śiva, ever with Umā, attended by his gaṇas, and imperishable—one should then, as is fitting to place and time, perform purification and the other preliminary observances, to the best of one’s ability.

Word by Word

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-nam (धातु √नम् with उपसर्ग प्र)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having bowed’

• manasā: with the mind
• manasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• devam: the god (Śiva)
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• sāmbam: with Umā (Sāmbā)
• sāmbam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāmba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; epithet qualifying deva

• sa-gaṇam: along with (his) attendants
• sa-gaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक ‘with’) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; अव्ययीभाव ‘together with (his) gaṇas’

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifier of deva

• deśa-kāla-ucitam: what is proper to place and time
• deśa-kāla-ucitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ucita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘appropriate to place and time’

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु √कृ)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having done’

• śauca-ādyam: purification and the like
• śauca-ādyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauca (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘purity etc.’ (ādi = ‘and the like’)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive/emphatic

• śaktitaḥ: as per one’s capacity
• śaktitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), ‘according to ability’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It teaches that true Śaiva worship begins with inner surrender—mental prostration to Sambāśiva—followed by disciplined preparation (purity and preliminaries) done appropriately and without strain, aligning devotion with right conduct.

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

The verse frames Saguna upāsanā: one approaches the imperishable Lord as Sambāśiva (Śiva with Śakti and gaṇas) and then undertakes the customary externals—cleanliness and proper procedure—before Linga-pūjā or mantra-japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin with mānasa-pranāma (mental bow), then perform śauca (bodily and mental purification) and other preliminaries suitable to time and place—such as ācamana, preparing a clean worship space, and commencing japa/pūjā according to one’s capacity.