Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

मूलाधारारविंदस्य हेमाभस्य यथाक्रमम् । वकारादिसकारान्ता वर्णाः पर्णमयाः स्थिताः

Transliteration

mūlādhārāraviṃdasya hemābhasya yathākramam | vakārādisakārāntā varṇāḥ parṇamayāḥ sthitāḥ

Translation

Dans le lotus du Mūlādhāra, brillant comme l’or, les lettres—commençant par « va » et finissant par « sa »—sont disposées dans l’ordre prescrit, demeurant sur les pétales.

Word by Word

• मूलाधारारविन्दस्य: of the mūlādhāra-lotus
• मूलाधारारविन्दस्य: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूलाधार + अरविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मूलाधारस्य अरविन्दम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — genitive singular

• हेमाभस्य: of golden luster
• हेमाभस्य: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारय: ‘हेम इव आभा यस्य’), पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन — genitive singular (agreeing with अरविन्दस्य)

• यथाक्रमम्: in sequence
• यथाक्रमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास — adverb ‘in order’

• वकारादिसकारान्ताः: beginning with ‘va’ and ending with ‘sa’
• वकारादिसकारान्ताः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वकार + आदि + सकार + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (आदि-अन्त: ‘वकारादिः…सकारान्तः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — agreeing with वर्णाः

• वर्णाः: letters/syllables
• वर्णाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — nominative plural

• पर्णमयाः: made of leaves
• पर्णमयाः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्ण + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (मयट्: ‘made of leaves’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — agreeing with वर्णाः

• स्थिताः: are placed/stand
• स्थिताः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicative verbal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘are situated/placed’ (predicative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva yogic doctrine as taught in the Vāyavīya Saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps sacred sound (varṇa/mātṛkā) onto the Mūlādhāra lotus, teaching that mantra is not merely speech but a subtle power arranged in the body’s centers—meant to be contemplated to purify the pasha-bound soul (paśu) and orient it toward Pati, Shiva.

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

The ordered letters on the lotus petals support internal worship (antar-yāga): the devotee meditates on Shiva’s presence as Saguna within the subtle body, using mantra-sound as the bridge to realize the Linga-principle as the inner axis of consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A chakra-based japa and dhyāna practice: visualize the golden Mūlādhāra lotus and contemplate the syllables from “va” to “sa” stationed on its petals while repeating a Shaiva mantra (such as the Panchākṣarī, as instructed by one’s guru) with steady breath and purity.