Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

शिवार्चनरतो नित्यं श्रीमत्यः प्रियदर्शनाः । प्रथमावरणे वेदांश्चतुरो वा प्रपूजयेत्

Transliteration

śivārcanarato nityaṃ śrīmatyaḥ priyadarśanāḥ | prathamāvaraṇe vedāṃścaturo vā prapūjayet

Translation

Ceux qui, chaque jour, se vouent au culte de Śiva sont comblés de prospérité et d’une présence aimable et de bon augure. Dans la première enceinte (du maṇḍala d’adoration), on doit vénérer comme il se doit les quatre Veda.

Word by Word

• शिवार्चनरतः: engaged in worship of Śiva
• शिवार्चनरतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + अर्चन + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (locative/viṣaya-sense: 'engaged in Śiva-worship')

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया (adverbial accusative: 'always')

• श्रीमत्यः: fortunate/auspicious ladies
• श्रीमत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रियदर्शनाः: pleasant-looking
• प्रियदर्शनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ('pleasant' + 'in appearance/seeing')

• प्रथमावरणे: in the first enclosure
• प्रथमावरणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ('first' + 'enclosure/covering')

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms the fruit (phala) of nitya-śivārcana—śrī (auspicious prosperity) and priyadarśanatā (pleasing, sattvic radiance); also introduces āvaraṇa-krama, aligning personal worship with cosmic order.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady, daily Śiva-archana refines the devotee’s life into śrī (auspicious prosperity) and inner-visible grace, indicating the Siddhānta view that devotion and right worship purify the paśu (bound soul) and draw it toward Pati (Śiva).

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

Āvaraṇa-pūjā is a structured way of honoring Saguna Śiva (as worshipped in the Liṅga/maṇḍala). Worshipping the Vedas in the first enclosure aligns the ritual with śruti authority, showing that Liṅga worship is not opposed to the Vedas but harmonized with them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform daily Śiva-pūjā with the first āvaraṇa dedicated to honoring the four Vedas—typically through respectful invocation/offerings and recitation—before proceeding to subsequent enclosures; this frames the worship in purity and scriptural consonance.