Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 61

अन्तराय-उपसर्ग-विवेचनम् / Analysis of Yogic Obstacles (Antarāyas) and Upasargas

Devanagari script

मूले नासाग्रतो नाभौ कंठे वा तालुरंध्रयोः । भ्रूमध्ये द्वारदेशे वा ललाटे मूर्ध्नि वा स्मरेत्

Transliteration

mūle nāsāgrato nābhau kaṃṭhe vā tāluraṃdhrayoḥ | bhrūmadhye dvāradeśe vā lalāṭe mūrdhni vā smaret

Translation

Qu’il contemple (Śiva) à la racine (support), ou à la pointe du nez, ou au nombril ; ou dans la gorge, ou dans les ouvertures du palais ; ou entre les sourcils, ou dans la région de la « porte » ; ou sur le front, ou au sommet de la tête.

Word by Word

• mūle: at the root/base
• mūle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• nāsā: nose
• nāsā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Feminine stem ‘nose’; used as पूर्वपद

• agra: tip
• agra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘tip/front’; used as उत्तरपद

• nāsā-agrataḥ: at/from the nose-tip
• nāsā-agrataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāsā + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva with -taḥ (ablatival adverb): ‘from/at the tip of the nose’

• nābhau: in the navel
• nābhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• kaṇṭhe: in the throat
• kaṇṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; disjunctive particle ‘or’ (विकल्पार्थक)

• tālu: palate
• tālu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tālu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘palate’; used as पूर्वपद

• randhra: opening
• randhra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: randhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘opening/cavity’; used as उत्तरपद

• tālu-randhrayoḥ: in the palate and (its) opening
• tālu-randhrayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tālu + randhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: ‘in/at the palate and the opening’

• bhrū: eyebrow
• bhrū: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Feminine stem ‘eyebrow’; used as पूर्वपद

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• bhrū-madhye: between the eyebrows
• bhrū-madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrū + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘in the middle of the eyebrows’

• dvāra: door, gate
• dvāra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (in compound) Neuter stem ‘door/gate’; used as पूर्वपद

• deśe: in the place/region
• deśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• dvāra-deśe: at the doorway-region
• dvāra-deśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘in the region of the door/opening’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; disjunctive particle ‘or’

• lalāṭe: on the forehead
• lalāṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lalāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• mūrdhni: on the head/crown
• mūrdhni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; disjunctive particle ‘or’

• smaret: should remember/meditate
• smaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Maps multiple dhāraṇā-sthānas in the subtle body; supports progressive interiorization culminating in Śiva’s grace through steady remembrance.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches dhyāna on Śiva as the indwelling Lord (Pati) by fixing awareness at key inner loci (adhāras), refining attention from outer sense-flow to inward stillness that leads toward liberation.

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

Just as the Liṅga is a sacred support for Saguna worship, these inner points function as subtle ‘supports’ for contemplating Śiva within—leading the devotee from form-supported meditation to deeper realization of Śiva’s pervasive presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A focused Shaiva meditation practice: choose one point (e.g., between the eyebrows or crown), steady the breath, and mentally remember Śiva (often along with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) without scattering attention.