Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma

Fire and Nectar

Devanagari script

अग्नेर्वीर्यं तु यद्भस्म सोमेनाप्लावितम्पुनः । अयोगयुक्त्या प्रकृतेरधिकाराय कल्पते

Transliteration

agnervīryaṃ tu yadbhasma somenāplāvitampunaḥ | ayogayuktyā prakṛteradhikārāya kalpate

Translation

അഗ്നിയുടെ വീര്യമായ ആ ഭസ്മം സോമംകൊണ്ട് വീണ്ടും നനച്ചാലും, യോഗശാസനം കൂടാതെ ധരിച്ചാൽ അത് പ്രകൃതിയുടെ അധികാരമേഖലയ്ക്ക് മാത്രമേ യോജിക്കൂ; പരമ ശൈവ ലക്ഷ്യത്തിന് അല്ല।

Word by Word

• अग्नेः: of fire
• अग्नेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वीर्यम्: potency
• वीर्यम्: कर्म/प्रमेय (Object/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपातः (particle: but/indeed)

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• भस्म: ash
• भस्म: प्रमेय (Predicate/प्रमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सोमेन: with Soma
• सोमेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आप्लावितम्: sprinkled/washed over
• आप्लावितम्: कर्मणि-विशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मणि विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + प्लु (धातु) → आप्लावित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भस्म’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (sprinkled/washed)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक (adverb: again/further)

• अयोगयुक्त्या: by an improper method
• अयोगयुक्त्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-योग-युक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः: अयोग + युक्ति (improper method)

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakṛti/nature
• प्रकृतेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अधिकाराय: for eligibility/entitlement
• अधिकाराय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• कल्पते: is fit/becomes suitable
• कल्पते: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (becomes/is fit)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Soma

FAQs

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

It teaches that bhasma is powerful and sacred, but its highest fruit arises only when joined with yogic purity and right intention; otherwise it remains a practice within Prakṛti, giving limited, worldly results rather than Shaiva liberation.

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

Bhasma and Soma-water are external supports in Saguna worship (such as adorning the body and approaching the Linga), yet the verse insists that the outer act must be united with inner yoga—devotion, restraint, and Shaiva orientation toward Pati (Shiva)—for it to transcend mere ritualism.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Apply bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) with a yogic attitude—purity, mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and inward contemplation—rather than as a mere customary mark; the inner union (yoga-yukti) is presented as the decisive factor.