Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

हृदयाद्यस्त्रपर्यंतमथवापि समर्चयेत् । तद्बहिः पूर्वतः शक्रं यमं दक्षिणतो यजेत्

Transliteration

hṛdayādyastraparyaṃtamathavāpi samarcayet | tadbahiḥ pūrvataḥ śakraṃ yamaṃ dakṣiṇato yajet

Translation

Qu’on rende un culte conforme aux déités‑mantras, en commençant par le Hṛdaya (Cœur) et en allant jusqu’à l’Astra (Arme)—ou qu’on les honore selon cette suite entière. En dehors de ce cercle intérieur, qu’on vénère Śakra (Indra) à l’est et Yama au sud.

Word by Word

• हृदय-आदि-अस्त्र-पर्यन्तम्: up to (from) the heart etc. up to the astra
• हृदय-आदि-अस्त्र-पर्यन्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-द्वितीया-आकारान्त रूपेण अव्ययवत्; ‘up to …’ (limit)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बोधन/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship
• समर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person), एकवचन; विध्यर्थ (should worship)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (outside)

• पूर्वतः: to the east/from the east side
• पूर्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्/देशवाचक (from the east/eastward)

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• दक्षिणतः: to the south/from the south side
• दक्षिणतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्/देशवाचक (from the south/southward)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; विध्यर्थ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: kavaca

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Shakra)
• Yama

FAQs

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

It shows that Shaiva worship is both inward and outward: first sanctifying the practitioner through anga/nyāsa-style worship (heart through astra), then harmonizing the outer directions by honoring cosmic guardians—so the devotee’s body-mind and ritual space become fit for Śiva’s presence.

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

In Linga/Saguna Śiva worship, the inner mantra-deities (hṛdaya to astra) protect and consecrate the worshipper and the rite, while the placement of Indra (east) and Yama (south) establishes a guarded mandala around the Linga, supporting focused devotion and right order in the pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a structured sequence akin to anga-mantra worship/nyāsa (from hṛdaya to astra), followed by directional worship (dikpāla-style), specifically offering to Indra in the east and Yama in the south as part of the outer protective circle of the ritual.