Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

मङ्गलाचरणम्, तीर्थ-परिसरः, सूतागमनम् — Invocation, Sacred Setting, and the Arrival of Sūta

Devanagari script

धर्मक्षेत्रे महातीर्थे गंगाकालिंदिसंगमे । प्रयागे नैमिषारण्ये ब्रह्मलोकस्य वर्त्मनि

Transliteration

dharmakṣetre mahātīrthe gaṃgākāliṃdisaṃgame | prayāge naimiṣāraṇye brahmalokasya vartmani

Translation

Dans le Champ du Dharma, au grand gué de pèlerinage où se rejoignent la Gaṅgā et la Kālindī (Yamunā) : à Prayāga, dans la forêt de Naimiṣa, sur la voie qui mène à Brahmaloka.

Word by Word

• धर्मक्षेत्रे: in the field of dharma
• धर्मक्षेत्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य क्षेत्रम्)

• महातीर्थे: at the great pilgrimage-place
• महातीर्थे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महत्तत् तीर्थम्)

• गङ्गाकालिन्दिसङ्गमे: at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Kālindī (Yamunā)
• गङ्गाकालिन्दिसङ्गमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + कालिन्दी + सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः कालिन्द्याश्च सङ्गमः = confluence of Gaṅgā and Kālindī)

• प्रयागे: at Prayāga
• प्रयागे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नैमिषारण्ये: in the Naimiṣa forest
• नैमिषारण्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिष + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (नैमिषम् अरण्यम्)

• ब्रह्मलोकस्य: of Brahmaloka
• ब्रह्मलोकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + लोक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः लोकः)

• वर्त्मनि: on the path/track
• वर्त्मनि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Sets the narrative geography: Prayāga (Gaṅgā-Yamunā-saṅgama) and Naimiṣāraṇya as the dharma-kṣetra where the Purāṇic discourse unfolds.

Significance: Saṅgama-snān and residence in Naimiṣa are famed for amplifying puṇya and making śravaṇa (hearing sacred lore) fruitful; ‘brahmalokasya vartman’ signals a soteriological trajectory via dharma and knowledge.

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Prayaga
• Naimisharanya
• Brahmaloka

FAQs

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

It establishes a supremely sanctified setting—Prayāga and Naimiṣāraṇya—where dharma is strong and the mind becomes fit to receive Shiva-tattva teachings that lead toward liberation.

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

By praising great tīrthas and sacred assemblies, it points to the Shaiva principle that outer sanctity (place, confluence, forest-āśrama) supports inner worship—preparing devotees for Linga-upāsanā and devotion to Saguna Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pilgrimage-bathing (snāna) at a confluence and attentive listening (śravaṇa) in a holy assembly are implied as preparatory disciplines; these are commonly paired with japa of Shiva’s mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī) in Shaiva practice.