Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

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

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

पश्चिमाभिमुखं ध्यात्वा यज्ञरक्षकमीश्वरम् । अर्चयेदस्त्रवर्धन्यामस्त्रमीशस्य दक्षिणे

Transliteration

paścimābhimukhaṃ dhyātvā yajñarakṣakamīśvaram | arcayedastravardhanyāmastramīśasya dakṣiṇe

Translation

Après avoir médité le Seigneur tourné vers l’ouest—le Souverain qui protège le yajña—qu’on vénère, à la droite du Seigneur, l’arme divine dans sa forme « astra-vardhinī », celle qui accroît la puissance de l’arme.

Word by Word

• पश्चिमाभिमुखम्: facing west
• पश्चिमाभिमुखम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima + abhimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पश्चिमं अभिमुखः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ईश्वरम् इति विशेषणम्

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (ध्यै धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): 'having meditated'

• यज्ञरक्षकम्: protector of the sacrifice
• यज्ञरक्षकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + rakṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (यज्ञस्य रक्षकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ईश्वरम् इति विशेषणम्

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (अर्च् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अस्त्रवर्धन्याम्: in the weapon-enhancing (place/altar)
• अस्त्रवर्धन्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra + vardhanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अस्त्रस्य वर्धनी), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अस्त्रम्: the weapon (mantra/implement)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईशस्य: of the Lord
• ईशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: on the right side
• दक्षिणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati—the sovereign protector who safeguards sacred rites (yajña) from inner and outer obstacles—showing that right worship begins with dhyāna (steady contemplation) and culminates in protective grace that supports spiritual practice.

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

The instruction is a Saguna-oriented ritual visualization: Śiva is contemplated with a directional form (west-facing) and worship is performed with ordered placements (right side), aligning the devotee’s mind and the worship-space so the Linga worship becomes disciplined and effective.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna of Śiva as the yajña-rakṣaka (guardian of the rite), followed by a structured upacāra-style worship in which the astra-śakti is honored on Śiva’s right side for protection and empowerment of the ritual.