Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake

Devanagari script

स्थानेस्थाने कृतानेकबलिपुष्पसमीरणैः । सौरार्घ्यपूर्वं कुर्वद्भिःस्थंडलेभ्यर्चनादिकम्

Transliteration

sthānesthāne kṛtānekabalipuṣpasamīraṇaiḥ | saurārghyapūrvaṃ kurvadbhiḥsthaṃḍalebhyarcanādikam

Translation

En divers endroits, après avoir disposé de nombreuses offrandes—balis et fleurs, avec le service d’éventer—qu’ils présentent d’abord l’arghya au Soleil; puis, depuis ces lieux consacrés, qu’ils accomplissent l’arcanā et les autres rites.

Word by Word

• स्थाने: in (each) place
• स्थाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• स्थाने: in (every) place
• स्थाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• कृत-अनेक-बलि-पुष्प-समीरनैः: by those who have performed many offerings, flowers, and fanning rites
• कृत-अनेक-बलि-पुष्प-समीरनैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अनेक + बलि + पुष्प + समीरन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण; विग्रहः: कृतानि अनेकानि बलि-पुष्प-समीरनानि (offerings, flowers, and fanning/waving) येषाम् तैः

• सौर-अर्घ्य-पूर्वम्: preceded by offering arghya to the Sun
• सौर-अर्घ्य-पूर्वम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौर + अर्घ्य + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative): ‘with solar arghya first’

• कुर्वद्भिः: by those doing/performing
• कुर्वद्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• स्थण्डलेभ्यः: from/at the ritual platforms (sthāṇḍilas)
• स्थण्डलेभ्यः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative) बहुवचन (also acceptable as चतुर्थी plural in some contexts; here ‘from/at the altars’); अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध

• अर्चन-आदिकम्: worship and related rites
• अर्चन-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विग्रहः: अर्चनं आदिः यस्य तत् (worship etc.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General ritual staging: preparing sthāṇḍila (consecrated spots) and beginning with sūryārghya before proceeding to arcana; not a specific Jyotirliṅga narrative.

Significance: Shows the orthodox sequencing of daily worship: honoring Sūrya (as witness of karma and purifier) before Śiva-arcana; reinforces disciplined sādhana.

Mantra Metadata

Type: gayatri

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva worship is strengthened by orderly preparation—purifying and consecrating the place, offering reverent services, and beginning with prescribed preliminaries—so the mind becomes fit for devotion to Pati (Shiva).

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

By instructing arcanā (formal worship) performed from properly prepared ritual spots, it supports Saguna Shiva–upāsanā where the Liṅga is approached through disciplined external rites that steady inner bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare multiple worship stations (sthaṇḍila), arrange offerings like flowers and bali, begin with offering saurārghya (arghya to the Sun), and then proceed to arcanā and related Shaiva rites with focused attention.