Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

क्रियामयं तथा भिन्नं होमदानार्चनक्रमात् । सर्वशक्तिमतामेव नान्येषां सफलं भवेत्

Transliteration

kriyāmayaṃ tathā bhinnaṃ homadānārcanakramāt | sarvaśaktimatāmeva nānyeṣāṃ saphalaṃ bhavet

Translation

Action-based worship—distinguished as the ordered practices of homa (fire oblation), dāna (charitable giving), and arcana (ritual adoration)—bears fruit only for those endowed with full spiritual power; for others it does not become truly fruitful.

Word by Word

• क्रिया-मयम्: action-based
• क्रिया-मयम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (क्रियया मयम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: समुच्चय (Samuccaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सादृश्यबोधक-अव्यय

• भिन्नम्: divided, differentiated
• भिन्नम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भिद्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• होम-दान-अर्चन-क्रमात्: by the order of oblation, charity, and worship
• होम-दान-अर्चन-क्रमात्: हेतु/निमित्त (Hetu/Nimitta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/सूची-तत्पुरुष (होमदानार्चनस्य क्रमः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (by the sequence of...)

• सर्व-शक्ति-मताम्: of the all-powerful (ones)
• सर्व-शक्ति-मताम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मत् (प्रत्ययान्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सर्वशक्तिः यस्य सः = sarvaśaktimat; ‘of the all-powerful’); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Avadhāraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Niṣedha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• अन्येषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• स-फलम्: fruitful, successful
• स-फलम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (फलयुक्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be, may become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer ritual action (kriyā) becomes truly effective only when supported by inner spiritual potency—purity, devotion, discipline, and Shiva’s grace—otherwise the act remains merely external and yields limited results.

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

Linga-arcana and other Saguna forms of worship bear higher fruit when the worshipper’s inner power—steady bhakti, right intention, and alignment with Shiva as Pati—is present; without that, the ritual form alone does not culminate in transformative realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform homa, dāna, and arcana in correct order with inner preparation—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), disciplined conduct, and devotion—so that the ritual is empowered and spiritually fruitful.