Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

द्वितीयतृतीयावरणपूजाक्रमः | The Sequence of the Second and Third Enclosure Worship (Āvaraṇa-pūjā)

Devanagari script

नंदिनं दक्षिणे तस्य महाकालं तथोत्तरे । शास्तारं वह्निदिक्पत्रे मात्ःर्दक्षिणदिग्दले

Transliteration

naṃdinaṃ dakṣiṇe tasya mahākālaṃ tathottare | śāstāraṃ vahnidikpatre mātḥrdakṣiṇadigdale

Translation

Au sud de Lui se tient Nandin ; au nord, Mahākāla. Sur le pétale tourné vers la direction du Feu (Agni) se trouve Śāstā, et sur le pétale du côté méridional se tiennent les Mères divines (Mātṛ).

Word by Word

• नन्दिनम्: Nandin
• नन्दिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: on the south (side)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; दिशि/स्थाने अधिकरण

• तस्य: of that/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् कालः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise/also)

• उत्तरे: on the north (side)
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शास्तारम्: Śāstā (the Lord/teacher-deity)
• शास्तारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वह्नि-दिक्-पत्रे: in the petal of the fire-direction (Agni/SE)
• वह्नि-दिक्-पत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (वह्नेः दिक् = आग्नेयी दिक्; तस्याः पत्रे)

• मातृ-दक्षिण-दिक्-दले: in the petal of the Mothers’ southern direction
• मातृ-दक्षिण-दिक्-दले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (मातॄणां दक्षिणा दिक्; तस्याः दले)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time is worshipped as the self-manifest liṅga at Ujjayinī; the Purāṇic tradition links the kṣetra’s protection and liberation to Mahākāla’s guardianship over death/time.

Significance: Darśana/abhisheka of Mahākāla is held to remove fear of death, cut pāśa (bondage) of time-bound existence, and grant śiva-anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: protective

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi
• Mahakala
• Shasta
• Matrikas

FAQs

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

It teaches parivāra-upāsanā—contemplating Śiva together with His divine retinue placed in sacred directions—so the devotee’s mind becomes orderly, protected, and steadily absorbed in Pati (Śiva) as the supreme center.

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

In Liṅgārcana, Śiva is worshiped as Saguna (with form and attributes) along with attendants like Nandin and forms like Mahākāla; arranging them by direction reflects a ritual mandala that supports focused devotion and correct temple/home worship procedure.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform directional mandala-nyāsa in worship: visualize or place Śiva at the center (Liṅga), with Nandin to the south and Mahākāla to the north, then offer pūjā while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” maintaining protective awareness of the deities in their quarters.