Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

महापूजां महेशस्य कृत्वा मण्डलमध्यतः । शिवकुंभे तथा भूयः शिवमावाह्य पूजयेत्

Transliteration

mahāpūjāṃ maheśasya kṛtvā maṇḍalamadhyataḥ | śivakuṃbhe tathā bhūyaḥ śivamāvāhya pūjayet

Translation

Après avoir accompli la grande pūjā à Maheśa au centre du maṇḍala consacré, on doit de nouveau invoquer Śiva dans le Śiva-kumbha (vase de consécration) et L’y vénérer également.

Word by Word

• महापूजाम्: great worship
• महापूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महती पूजा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having done'

• मण्डलमध्यतः: from the center of the maṇḍala
• मण्डलमध्यतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: maṇḍala + madhya + tas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मण्डलस्य मध्य), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'from the middle of'

• शिवकुम्भे: in the Śiva-pot (ritual vessel)
• शिवकुम्भे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + kumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवस्य कुम्भः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तथा: then
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/likewise)

• भूयः: again, further
• भूयः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyas (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/further)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √vah (वह् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): 'having invoked/brought near'

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahesha

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not casual but carefully established: Śiva is invoked and honored through ordered rites, training the devotee’s mind toward steady bhakti and purity, which in Shaiva thought supports grace (anugraha) and inner liberation.

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

By prescribing āvāhana (invocation) into a ritual focus (maṇḍala and Śiva-kumbha), the verse supports saguna upāsanā—approaching the formless Supreme through a consecrated form and locus, similar in intent to Liṅga worship where Śiva is revered as present and accessible.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform maṇḍala-centered mahāpūjā, then invoke Śiva into the kumbha and continue worship—typically with mantra-japa (often the Pañcākṣara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offerings, and focused contemplation on Śiva’s presence.