Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

कर्णिकोपरि चाग्नेयं मंडलं सौरमैन्दवम् । शिवविद्यात्मतत्त्वाख्यं तत्त्वत्रयमतः परम्

Transliteration

karṇikopari cāgneyaṃ maṃḍalaṃ sauramaindavam | śivavidyātmatattvākhyaṃ tattvatrayamataḥ param

Translation

Above the pericarp is the Agni-maṇḍala, together with the solar and lunar spheres. Beyond these is the triad of principles—known as the tattva of Śiva, the tattva of Vidyā, and the tattva of Ātman—transcendent to the lower levels.

Word by Word

• कर्णिका-उपरि: above the pericarp
• कर्णिका-उपरि: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्णिका + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि-शब्दः अव्यय (adverb/postposition); कर्णिका-सम्बन्धे ‘upon/above the pericarp’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आग्नेयम्: fiery; belonging to Agni
• आग्नेयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आग्नेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मण्डलस्य)

• मण्डलम्: circle/orb
• मण्डलम्: Karta/Viśeṣya (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय/वस्तु (that which is described)

• सौरम्: solar
• सौरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ऐन्दवम्: lunar
• ऐन्दवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐन्दव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शिवविद्या-आत्म-तत्त्व-आख्यम्: called the principle whose nature is Śiva-vidyā
• शिवविद्या-आत्म-तत्त्व-आख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिवविद्या + आत्मन् + तत्त्व + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘शिवविद्या’ (शिवस्य विद्या) + ‘आत्म’ (स्वरूप) + ‘तत्त्व’ + ‘आख्य’ (नामक); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (तत्त्वत्रयस्य)

• तत्त्वत्रयम्: the triad of principles
• तत्त्वत्रयम्: Karta/Viśeṣya (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व-त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि तत्त्वानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अतः: therefore; from this
• अतः: Sambandha/Logical (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• परम्: supreme; beyond
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण/विधेय

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni
• Surya
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It maps the inner yogic ascent: after contemplating the fiery, solar, and lunar subtle spheres, the seeker is directed to a higher realization—the triad of Śiva-tattva, Vidyā-tattva, and Ātma-tattva—indicating movement from cosmic energies to liberating knowledge and the Lord as the supreme reality.

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

The verse supports internal Liṅga-upāsanā: the meditator visualizes graded maṇḍalas (Agni, Sūrya, Candra) as supports (saguṇa aids) and then transcends them toward the higher tattvas culminating in Śiva, showing how form-based contemplation leads toward the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna-krama (graded meditation) is implied: visualize the inner lotus and its pericarp, contemplate Agni-, solar-, and lunar-maṇḍalas, and then fix awareness on the higher principles—Śiva, Vidyā, and Ātman—supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) if practiced in the tradition.