Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11
अलंकृत्य सुवेषं च गंधस्रग्वस्त्रभूषणैः । पुण्याहं वाचयित्वा च ब्राह्मणानभिपूज्य च । समुद्रतीरे नद्यां च गोष्ठे देवालये ऽपि वा । शुचौ देशे गृहे वापि काले सिद्धिकरे तिथौ
alaṃkṛtya suveṣaṃ ca gaṃdhasragvastrabhūṣaṇaiḥ | puṇyāhaṃ vācayitvā ca brāhmaṇānabhipūjya ca | samudratīre nadyāṃ ca goṣṭhe devālaye 'pi vā | śucau deśe gṛhe vāpi kāle siddhikare tithau
Habiéndose adornado con buen porte—ungido con fragancias, enguirnaldado, con vestiduras limpias y ornamentos—debe hacerse recitar el rito auspicioso (puṇyāha) y honrar debidamente a los brāhmaṇas. Luego, en la orilla del mar, junto a un río, en un establo de vacas, o en un templo—o en cualquier lugar puro, incluso en casa—en el tiempo y tithi propicios para la siddhi, debe emprenderse la adoración de Śiva para el logro espiritual.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that outer purity (clean dress, fragrance, orderly conduct) and inner sanctity (honoring brāhmaṇas, choosing a pure place and auspicious time) support focused Śiva-upāsanā, helping the devotee progress toward siddhi and ultimately liberation under Pati (Śiva).
The verse frames the proper setting for Saguna Śiva worship—typically centered on the Śiva-liṅga—showing that liṅga-pūjā can be performed not only in temples but also at home or other pure locations when done with reverence, purity, and right observances.
It suggests preparatory observances: personal adornment and cleanliness, arranging a puṇyāha recitation, honoring brāhmaṇas, and selecting a pure place and auspicious tithi—then commencing Śiva-pūjā (often with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī, if prescribed in the surrounding context).