Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

केवलामुष्मिकविधिः — The Rite for Exclusive Otherworldly Attainment

Liṅga-Abhiṣeka and Padma-Pūjā Protocol

Devanagari script

अंगुष्ठप्रतिमं रम्यं सर्वगन्धमयं शुभम् । दक्षिणे स्थापयित्वा तु बिल्वपत्रैः समर्चयेत्

Transliteration

aṃguṣṭhapratimaṃ ramyaṃ sarvagandhamayaṃ śubham | dakṣiṇe sthāpayitvā tu bilvapatraiḥ samarcayet

Translation

Qu’on place à droite une offrande charmante et de bon augure, de la taille d’un pouce et imprégnée de toutes les fragrances; puis qu’on adore le Seigneur avec des feuilles de bilva.

Word by Word

• aṃguṣṭha-pratimam: thumb-sized
• aṃguṣṭha-pratimam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṃguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + pratima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष ("thumb-sized"); विशेषणम् (implied object: liṅgam)

• ramyam: beautiful
• ramyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• sarva-gandha-mayam: fragrant with all scents
• sarva-gandha-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष ("made of all fragrances" / "consisting of all perfumes"); विशेषणम्

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• dakṣiṇe: on the right (side)
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• sthāpayitvā: having placed
• sthāpayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त्वा
• Form: णिजन्त-क्त्वान्त (causative gerund): "having caused to be placed / having placed"

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• bilva-patraiḥ: with bilva leaves
• bilva-patraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilva (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष ("bilva leaves")

• samarcayet: should worship
• samarcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + arc (अर्च् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; it is a procedural detail in liṅga worship: placing a fragrant, thumb-sized auspicious item to the right and performing bilva-arcana.

Significance: Bilva offering is a signature Śaiva upacāra believed to please Śiva quickly and remove pāśa (bondage) by cultivating surrender and purity of intention.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion becomes steady through orderly, reverent worship—placing an auspicious, pure offering and then performing bilva-leaf archana—so the mind turns from pasha (bondage) toward Pati (Shiva), the liberator.

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

The verse describes a concrete upachara (ritual offering) used in saguna worship: arranging an auspicious, fragrant item to the right and then honoring Shiva through bilva leaves, a hallmark of Linga-puja in Shaiva practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical step of Shiva-archana is indicated: place a fragrant, auspicious offering on the right side and perform worship with bilva leaves—ideally with focused remembrance of Shiva and mantra-japa during the offering.