Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

शिवाचार्याभिषेकविधिः / Rite of Consecrating a Śiva-Teacher (Śivācārya Abhiṣeka)

Devanagari script

स ताम्मूर्ध्नि समाधाय विद्यां विद्यासनोपरि । अधिरोप्य यथान्यायमभिवंद्य समर्चयेत्

Transliteration

sa tāmmūrdhni samādhāya vidyāṃ vidyāsanopari | adhiropya yathānyāyamabhivaṃdya samarcayet

Translation

Colocando ese sagrado Conocimiento sobre su cabeza, debe luego entronizar esa Vidyā en el asiento del saber; y, conforme a la norma prescrita, inclinarse ante ella y rendirle culto con la debida reverencia.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचन (Pronoun: nominative singular)

• ताम्: that (it/her)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन (Pronoun: accusative singular)

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन (Locative singular)

• समाधाय: having placed
• समाधाय: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having placed/settled)

• विद्याम्: the sacred knowledge
• विद्याम्: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• विद्यासन-उपरि: upon the seat of learning
• विद्यासन-उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विद्या + आसन + उपरि (प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक + अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययप्रधान; उपरि-शब्देन अधिकरणार्थ (locative sense: upon the seat of knowledge)

• अधिरोप्य: having placed upon
• अधिरोप्य: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-रुह्/रोप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having set/placed upon)

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानार्थ (indeclinable: as/according to)

• न्यायम्: proper rule
• न्यायम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; manner via yathā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; अव्ययीभावे कर्मवत् प्रयोग (in yathā + accusative: according to rule)

• अभिवन्द्य: having saluted
• अभिवन्द्य: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि- वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having saluted)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship (properly)
• समर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्- अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should worship duly)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true learning is sacred and must be approached with humility—honoring Vidyā as a divine aid that leads the soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati) through disciplined reverence.

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

In Shaiva practice, knowledge and worship are not separate: revering Vidyā supports right understanding of Shiva’s saguna forms (like the Linga) and ripens devotion into liberating insight.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A rule-based upāsanā: ceremonially placing the sacred teaching/mantra in the highest regard (symbolically “on the head”), offering salutations, and worshipping it with steady discipline—suitable alongside japa and daily Shiva worship.