Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels

Devanagari script

आवाहनं स्थापनं च सन्निरोधं निरीक्षणम् । नमस्कारं च कुर्वीत बध्वा मुद्राः पृथक्पृथक्

Transliteration

āvāhanaṃ sthāpanaṃ ca sannirodhaṃ nirīkṣaṇam | namaskāraṃ ca kurvīta badhvā mudrāḥ pṛthakpṛthak

Translation

Après avoir formé séparément les mudrā appropriés, on accomplira l’āvāhana (invocation), la sthāpana (établissement de la divinité), le sannirodha (contenance/retention), la nirīkṣaṇa (regard contemplatif) et enfin le namaskāra (prosternation révérencieuse).

Word by Word

• आवाहनम्: invocation
• आवाहनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + √वह् (धातु) → आवाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियानाम (verbal noun)

• स्थापनम्: establishing; installation
• स्थापनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √स्था (धातु) → स्थापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियानाम

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

• सन्निरोधम्: restraint; withdrawal; confinement
• सन्निरोधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + नि + √रुध् (धातु) → सन्निरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियानाम

• निरीक्षणम्: inspection; contemplation
• निरीक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि + √ईक्ष् (धातु) → निरीक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियानाम

• नमस्कारम्: salutation
• नमस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• कुर्वीत: should do/perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• बध्वा: having bound; after forming
• बध्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from √बन्ध्; अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle)

• मुद्राः: hand-gestures; seals
• मुद्राः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship is not merely external: mudrā, invocation, and स्थापना culminate in sannirodha (inner restraint) and nirīkṣaṇa (steady contemplative seeing), aligning devotion with yogic discipline so the mind rests in Pati (Shiva).

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

The sequence—āvāhana and sthāpana—supports Saguna upāsanā by ritually welcoming and establishing Shiva’s presence in the Liṅga, while nirīkṣaṇa and namaskāra mature that worship into reverent, focused communion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform the prescribed mudrās one by one, then do āvāhana and sthāpana, followed by sannirodha (quieting and sealing the senses/mind) and nirīkṣaṇa (steady darśana/meditative gaze), ending with namaskāra.