Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 74

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

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

आचार्यादाप्तमखिलं शिरस्याधाय भक्तितः । रक्षयेत्पूजयेच्छंभुं मठे वा गृह एववा

Transliteration

ācāryādāptamakhilaṃ śirasyādhāya bhaktitaḥ | rakṣayetpūjayecchaṃbhuṃ maṭhe vā gṛha evavā

Translation

Ayant tout reçu de l’ācārya, qu’il le pose avec dévotion sur sa tête. Et qu’il protège et vénère le Seigneur Śambhu, que ce soit dans un maṭha (monastère) ou dans sa propre demeure.

Word by Word

• आचार्यात्: from the teacher
• आचार्यात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• आप्तम्: obtained/received
• आप्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्/आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘आप्त’ = प्राप्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अखिलम्)

• अखिलम्: everything
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘समस्तम्’

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• आधाय: having placed
• आधाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), उपसर्ग: आ-; अर्थ: ‘निधाय/स्थापयित्वा’

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (expressing cause/motive)

• रक्षयेत्: should protect
• रक्षयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• मठे: in a monastery
• मठे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunction)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms that Śiva-pūjā is valid and efficacious in both maṭha (institutional/initiatory setting) and gṛha (householder shrine), emphasizing continuity of worship under ācārya-guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches ācārya-bhakti and śiva-bhakti together: what is received from the guru is to be honored as sacred, and Shiva’s worship is to be steadily maintained as a life-discipline that supports liberation.

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

By instructing continual “pūjā” of Śambhu in any setting, it supports Saguna Shiva upāsanā—commonly expressed as Śiva-liṅga worship—showing that right worship depends more on devotion and steadiness than on location.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Shiva pūjā with a protective, caretaking attitude—keeping the shrine/linga worship properly maintained—along with guru-given disciplines (mantra/japa and observances) practiced consistently at home or in a maṭha.