Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 37

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

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

उपवेश्यात्मनस्सव्ये शिष्यं दर्भासने गुरुः । आराध्य च महादेवं शिवहस्तं प्रविन्यसेत्

Transliteration

upaveśyātmanassavye śiṣyaṃ darbhāsane guruḥ | ārādhya ca mahādevaṃ śivahastaṃ pravinyaset

Translation

Ayant fait asseoir le disciple sur un siège d’herbe darbha à sa gauche, le guru—après avoir d’abord adoré Mahādeva—doit poser selon le rite la « Main de Śiva » (Śiva-hasta) sur lui.

Word by Word

• upaveśya: having seated
• upaveśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from causative sense ‘to seat’ (उपवेशयित्वा); indeclinable verbal form

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• savye: on the left (side)
• savye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: savya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (also used adjectivally), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• śiṣyam: the disciple
• śiṣyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• darbha-āsane: on a darbha-grass seat
• darbha-āsane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘darbha-made seat’ (दर्भस्य आसनम्)

• guruḥ: the teacher
• guruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ārādhya: having worshipped
• ārādhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√rādh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक)

• mahādevam: Mahādeva
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Karmadhāraya: ‘great (mahā) Deva’

• śiva-hastam: Śiva’s hand (hand-gesture/hand)
• śiva-hastam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘Śiva’s hand’ (शिवस्य हस्तः)

• pravi-nyaset: should place/assign (nyāsa)
• pravi-nyaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vi-√as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights the Siddhānta principle that Śiva’s grace descends through the guru after due ārādhana; seating the disciple to the guru’s left indicates controlled transmission within a consecrated order.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that Shaiva transformation occurs through the guru’s consecrated act performed after worshipping Mahādeva—symbolizing Śiva’s grace (anugraha) descending to the disciple to loosen the bonds (pāśa) and orient the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

The guru first ‘ārādhya mahādevam’—worshipping Śiva in a form accessible to devotion (often through liṅga-upāsanā)—and only then transmits Śiva’s power via the ‘Śiva-hand’, showing that ritual worship and divine empowerment are linked in Saguna-oriented practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A diksha-style procedure: seat the disciple on a darbha-grass seat at the guru’s left, perform Mahādeva’s worship, and then confer empowerment through a Śiva-mudrā/ritual touch (‘śiva-hasta’), typically accompanied by mantra-japa under the guru’s guidance.