Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

साधक-दीक्षा तथा मन्त्रसाधन

Puraścaraṇa and the Discipline of the Mantra-Sādhaka

Devanagari script

अलंकृत्य यथा लब्धैर्गंधमाल्यविभूषणैः । सोष्णीषः सोत्तरासंगः सर्वशुक्लसमाहितः

Transliteration

alaṃkṛtya yathā labdhairgaṃdhamālyavibhūṣaṇaiḥ | soṣṇīṣaḥ sottarāsaṃgaḥ sarvaśuklasamāhitaḥ

Translation

ലഭിച്ച സുഗന്ധദ്രവ്യങ്ങളും മാലകളും ആഭരണങ്ങളും കൊണ്ടു അവൻ സ്വയം അലങ്കരിച്ചു. പാഗടിയും ഉത്തരീയവും ധരിച്ചു, മുഴുവനും ശ്വേതവസ്ത്രധാരിയായി സമചിത്തനായി നിന്നു.

Word by Word

• अलंकृत्य: having adorned
• अलंकृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अलङ्कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: अलङ्कृ; अर्थे: पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/just as)

• लब्धैः: with obtained (things)
• लब्धैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (कृदन्त; √लभ् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• गन्ध: fragrance, perfume
• गन्ध: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem) used as compound-member (समासपूर्वपद)

• माल्य: garland
• माल्य: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक used as compound-member (समासपूर्वपद)

• विभूषणैः: with perfumes, garlands, and ornaments
• विभूषणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समास: गन्ध-माल्य-विभूषण (समाहार-द्वन्द्व, collective copulative)

• स: he
• स: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• उष्णीषः: (wearing) a turban
• उष्णीषः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्णीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (turban/head-dress)

• स: he
• स: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उत्तरासङ्गः: (wearing) an upper garment
• उत्तरासङ्गः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + आसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समास: उत्तर-आसङ्ग (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: ‘upper garment/outer wrap’)

• सर्व: all, entirely
• सर्व: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक used as compound-member (समासपूर्वपद); अर्थ: ‘all/entire’

• शुक्ल: white, pure
• शुक्ल: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक used as compound-member; अर्थ: ‘white/pure’

• समाहितः: fully arranged in white / wholly pure and composed
• समाहितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित (कृदन्त; √धा धातु with सम्-आ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); समास: सर्व-शुक्ल-समाहित (कर्मधारय: ‘composed/arranged wholly in white’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights devotional readiness: outer purity (clean white clothing, fragrance, garlands) supports inner purity—samāhita, a steady and collected mind—so worship becomes focused and sattvic, aligned with Shaiva discipline.

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

Lingārcana and Saguna Shiva worship in the Purāṇa emphasize upacāras (offerings) like gandha and mālya, along with the worshipper’s cleanliness and composure; these prepare the devotee to approach Shiva with reverence and one-pointed bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a simple pre-puja vrata: bathe, wear clean (preferably white) cloth, apply fragrance, offer flowers/garlands, and sit in samāhita-bhāva (steady attention), repeating the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with calm breath.