Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

द्वादशांतःस्थितस्येन्दोर्नीत्वोपरि शिवौजसि । संहृत्यं वदनं पश्चाद्यथासंस्करणं लयात्

Transliteration

dvādaśāṃtaḥsthitasyendornītvopari śivaujasi | saṃhṛtyaṃ vadanaṃ paścādyathāsaṃskaraṇaṃ layāt

Translation

Ayant élevé le courant lunaire établi au dvādaśānta jusque dans la puissance rayonnante de Śiva, qu’on retire ensuite le visage, c’est-à-dire le flux des sens tourné vers l’extérieur. Puis, par la dissolution (laya), qu’il se fonde selon le procédé intérieur prescrit de purification et de raffinement.

Word by Word

• dvādaśāntaḥsthitasya: of the one situated at the dvādaśānta (twelve-end point)
• dvādaśāntaḥsthitasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśānta (द्वादश + अन्त; प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (स्थित कृदन्त from √sthā/स्था)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); 'of (that which is) situated in the dvādaśānta'

• indoḥ: of the moon / lunar (principle)
• indoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indu (इन्दु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nītvā: having led/taken
• nītvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (नी धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), 'having led'

• upari: above; upwards
• upari: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upari (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/Preposition (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• śivaujasi: in Śiva’s energy/vigor
• śivaujasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + ojas (ओजस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'in the energy of Śiva'

• saṃhṛtya: having withdrawn
• saṃhṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (हृ धातु) with sam- (सम्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष), 'having withdrawn/contracted'

• vadanam: the mouth/face (opening)
• vadanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• yathāsaṃskaraṇam: according to the proper procedure
• yathāsaṃskaraṇam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + saṃskaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial avyayībhāva: 'according to the prescribed processing/ritual refinement'

• layāt: from dissolution/absorption
• layāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); sense: 'from/into dissolution' depending on context

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: laya (microcosmic dissolution of sense-currents into Śiva-ojas)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches laya-yoga: the practitioner internalizes the mind and prāṇa, raising the subtle “lunar” current to the crown-point (dvādaśānta) and dissolving individuality into Śiva’s conscious radiance, pointing toward liberation (mokṣa).

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

While Linga worship is an outer support (saguṇa-upāsanā), this verse describes the inner counterpart: concentrating awareness at the dvādaśānta and merging it into Śiva-ojas, the formless (nirguṇa) realization that the Linga ultimately signifies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative practice of prāṇa-and-mind withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and laya: focus at dvādaśānta, lead the inner lunar current upward, then dissolve attention inward—often supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) in Shaiva practice.