Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

आश्वयुज्यां ततो दद्यात्पायसं च नवोदनम् । अग्निकार्यं च तेनैव कुर्याच्छतभिषग्दिने

Transliteration

āśvayujyāṃ tato dadyātpāyasaṃ ca navodanam | agnikāryaṃ ca tenaiva kuryācchatabhiṣagdine

Translation

Ensuite, au mois d’Āśvayuja, qu’on offre du riz sucré (pāyasa) et du riz nouveau fraîchement cuit. Avec ces mêmes offrandes, qu’on accomplisse aussi le rite du feu (agni-kārya) au jour de Śatabhiṣaj.

Word by Word

• आश्वयुज्याम्: in (the month of) Āśvayuja
• आश्वयुज्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्वयुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (locative of time)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thereafter/then)

• दद्यात्: should give/offer
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पायसम्: rice-milk pudding
• पायसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

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

• नव-ओदनम्: freshly cooked rice
• नव-ओदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + ओदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म; कर्मधारय-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्य: ‘new’ + ‘cooked rice’)

• अग्नि-कार्यम्: fire-rite / ritual act with fire
• अग्नि-कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (agni-sambandhi kārya)

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

• तेन: by that/with that
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle of emphasis: indeed/only)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शतभिषक्-दिने: on the day of (the nakṣatra) Śatabhiṣaj
• शतभिषक्-दिने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतभिषक् (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of Śatabhiṣaj’ + ‘day’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General injunction: offering pāyasa and navodana (new rice) in Āśvina, and performing agni-kārya (homa/fire rite) on Śatabhiṣaj day using those offerings.

Significance: Food offerings and homa integrate bhoga and yajña: nourishing beings and honoring Śiva, seeking prosperity, purification, and Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined, time-conscious devotion: offering pure, sattvic food (pāyasa and new rice) and completing worship with agni-kārya aligns the devotee’s conduct with sacred order, making devotion steady and purifying for Shiva’s grace.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship through concrete upacāras—food offerings and homa—done on auspicious times (Śatabhiṣaj), which traditionally accompany Linga-pūjā as external expressions of inner surrender to Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A vrata-style observance: prepare pāyasa and freshly cooked rice as naivedya, and perform agni-kārya (homa) using those offerings on the Śatabhiṣaj day, while maintaining Shaiva remembrance (e.g., japa of Om Namaḥ Śivāya) during the rite.