Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

द्विहस्तमानं कुर्वीत प्राच्यां कलशमंडलम् । ततः स्नातश्शिवाचार्यः सशिष्यः कृतनैत्यकः

Transliteration

dvihastamānaṃ kurvīta prācyāṃ kalaśamaṃḍalam | tataḥ snātaśśivācāryaḥ saśiṣyaḥ kṛtanaityakaḥ

Translation

കിഴക്കുദിക്കിൽ രണ്ട് കൈ അളവുള്ള കലശമണ്ഡലം ഒരുക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് നിത്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ പൂർത്തിയാക്കി, ശിഷ്യനോടുകൂടെ ശിവാചാര്യൻ പൂജാക്രമം ആരംഭിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• द्विहस्तमानम्: of two-hand measure
• द्विहस्तमानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि-हस्त-मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• कुर्वीत: should make
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• प्राच्याम्: in the east
• प्राच्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कलशमण्डलम्: the pot-maṇḍala (vessel-circle)
• कलशमण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश-मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kala (काल/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'thereafter/from that')

• स्नातः: bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (प्रातिपदिक); स्नात = स्ना (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• शिवाचार्यः: the Śaiva teacher (ācārya)
• शिवाचार्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सशिष्यः: together with (his) disciple(s)
• सशिष्यः: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सहार्थक (with-)

• कृतनैत्यकः: having performed the daily rites
• कृतनैत्यकः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-नैत्यक (प्रातिपदिक); कृत = कृ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship begins with purity, right orientation (east), and disciplined nitya-karmas—outer order supporting inner steadiness so devotion becomes fit to receive Shiva’s grace.

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

The kalaśa-maṇḍala is part of the preparatory consecration framework used before formal offerings to Saguna Shiva (often the Linga), establishing a sanctified ritual space and invoking auspicious presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a two-hand-wide kalaśa area in the east, bathe, complete daily duties, and then proceed to Shiva-puja; this aligns with the purificatory sequence typically accompanied by mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara) during setup.