Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 71

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

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

अतः परं न्यस्तकरो भस्मादाय स्वहस्ततः । दद्याच्छिष्याय मूलेन रुद्राक्षं चाभिमंत्रितम्

Transliteration

ataḥ paraṃ nyastakaro bhasmādāya svahastataḥ | dadyācchiṣyāya mūlena rudrākṣaṃ cābhimaṃtritam

Translation

Ensuite, les mains posées selon le rite et l’esprit recueilli, qu’il prenne de sa propre main la bhasma (cendre sacrée) et, par le mantra racine, qu’il remette au disciple une Rudrākṣa dûment consacrée par mantra.

Word by Word

• अतः: thereafter/therefore
• अतः: Hetu/Kāla (हेतु/काल/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘therefore/thereafter’

• परम्: next/further
• परम्: Kāla (काल/Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् अव्यय (adverbial accusative): ‘further/next’

• न्यस्त-करः: with hands placed (properly)
• न्यस्त-करः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘न्यस्तः करः यस्य’ (with hands placed/laid down); ‘न्यस्त’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from नि + √अस्/√स्था? (standard: नि + √अस् ‘to place/throw’ in sense ‘nyasta’)

• भस्म: sacred ash
• भस्म: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object of taking)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √दा (दा धातु) → आदाय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having taken’

• स्व-हस्ततः: from his own hand
• स्व-हस्ततः: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘स्वस्य हस्ततः’ (from one’s own hand)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (दा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिष्याय: to the disciple
• शिष्याय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient)

• मूलेन: with the (root) mantra
• मूलेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण; here: ‘with the root-mantra/ मूल-मन्त्रेण’ (elliptic)

• रुद्राक्षम्: a rudrākṣa bead
• रुद्राक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभि-मन्त्रितम्: consecrated (by mantra)
• अभि-मन्त्रितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + √मन्त्र् (मन्त्र् धातु) → अभिमन्त्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘consecrated/enchanted (by mantra)’; agrees with रुद्राक्षम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (mūla-mantra implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It describes a Shaiva initiation-oriented act: the guru transmits Shiva’s grace through mantra-empowered Rudrākṣa and sacred ash, outward signs that support inner purification and devotion to Pati (Shiva) in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

Rudrākṣa and bhasma are classic Saguna Shaiva identifiers used alongside Linga-worship; they ritualize remembrance of Shiva and discipline the body-mind so the devotee remains oriented to Shiva’s presence in worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse indicates taking bhasma with one’s own hand and giving/receiving a Rudrākṣa bead consecrated with the mūla-mantra—implying Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa, bhasma-dhāraṇa (Tripuṇḍra), and mantra-japa as a unified practice.