Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

सर्वासनोपरि सुखं विचित्रकुसुमान्वितम् । पञ्चावरणसंयुक्तं पूजयेदंबया सह

Transliteration

sarvāsanopari sukhaṃ vicitrakusumānvitam | pañcāvaraṇasaṃyuktaṃ pūjayedaṃbayā saha

Translation

Sur le plus excellent des sièges, confortable et orné de fleurs multicolores, on doit adorer (Śiva) avec la Mère divine (Ambā), en ordonnant le rite selon les cinq enceintes (pañcāvaraṇa).

Word by Word

• सर्व-आसन-उपरि: upon every seat / on the (appropriate) seat
• सर्व-आसन-उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; उपरि-प्रधान अव्यय (adverbial/locative sense)

• सुखम्: pleasant / comfortable
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the object of worship/arrangement)

• विचित्र-कुसुम-अन्वितम्: endowed with various flowers
• विचित्र-कुसुम-अन्वितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ with anu-? lexical 'endowed with')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पञ्च-आवरण-संयुक्तम्: joined with five coverings/enclosures
• पञ्च-आवरण-संयुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्, past passive participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अम्बया: with Ambā (the Goddess)
• अम्बया: Saha (सह/साकं-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सहार्थे करण (accompaniment)

• सह: together with
• सह: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse gives a general āgama-like instruction for worship—installing a comfortable āsana, floral adornment, and pañcāvaraṇa (fivefold enclosures/coverings) while worshipping Śiva with Ambā.

Significance: General phala implied: proper, complete upacāra with pañcāvaraṇa and Śiva-Śakti together is held to make the pūjā ‘pūrṇa’ (complete) and conducive to Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship should be orderly, pure, and complete—offered to Śiva together with Ambā (Śakti), indicating that grace and liberation arise from honoring Pati (Śiva) inseparably with His power (Śakti).

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

The verse describes a formal pūjā arrangement—seat, flowers, and structured ‘enclosures’—which aligns with Saguna worship of Śiva (often as the Liṅga) performed with reverence and ritual completeness, alongside Śiva’s consort.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests preparing a clean, elevated āsana, offering flowers, and performing a structured fivefold (pañcāvaraṇa) worship—ideally accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) while contemplating Śiva-Śakti as one.