Shloka 20

आवरणपूजावर्णनम् (Āvaraṇa-pūjā-varṇanam) — Description of Enclosure/Layered Worship

Devanagari script

हिरण्यगर्भं पूर्वस्यां विराजन्दक्षिणे ततः । उत्तरे पुष्करञ्चैव कालम्पश्चिमतो यजेत्

Transliteration

hiraṇyagarbhaṃ pūrvasyāṃ virājandakṣiṇe tataḥ | uttare puṣkarañcaiva kālampaścimato yajet

Translation

Debe adorarse a Hiraṇyagarbha en el Oriente, a Virāj en el Sur; asimismo a Puṣkara en el Norte, y a Kāla en el Occidente.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यगर्भम्: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: हिरण्यगर्भ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वस्याम्: in the east
• पूर्वस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (दिश्-शब्दाध्याहार: पूर्वा दिशा), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विराजन्: Virāj
• विराजन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराज् (प्रातिपदिक; नकारान्त-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नकारान्त)

• दक्षिणे: in the south
• दक्षिणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (दिश्-स्थानवाचक), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

• उत्तरे: in the north
• उत्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुष्करम्: Puṣkara
• पुष्करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक (emphasis)

• कालम्: Kāla
• कालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पश्चिमतः: in/from the west
• पश्चिमतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (directional adverb), 'from/at the west'

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Hiranyagarbha
• Viraj
• Puskara
• Kala

FAQs

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

It teaches directional alignment in worship—recognizing cosmic principles (creation, manifestation, purity, and time) as ordered powers within Śiva’s lordship (Pati), so the sādhaka’s rite becomes harmonized with the universe.

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

As a preparatory framework, it supports saguna upāsanā: before centering on the Śiva-liṅga, the devotee consecrates the space by honoring presiding cosmic powers in the directions, then returns the mind to Śiva as the inner ruler of all.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dik-pūjā (directional worship) around the altar—east, south, north, west—then proceed to Śiva worship with mantra (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), maintaining a steady meditative awareness of Kāla (time) and order as Śiva’s śakti.