Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35

न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया

Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification

Devanagari script

पश्चात्त्रयोःदशकलाः पायुमेढ्रोरुजानुषु । जंघास्फिक्कटिपार्श्वेषु वामदेवस्य भावयेत् । घ्राणे शिरसि बाह्वोश्च कल्पयेत्कल्पवित्तमः । अष्टत्रिंशत्कलान्यासमेवं कृत्वानुपूर्वशः

Transliteration

paścāttrayoḥdaśakalāḥ pāyumeḍhrorujānuṣu | jaṃghāsphikkaṭipārśveṣu vāmadevasya bhāvayet | ghrāṇe śirasi bāhvośca kalpayetkalpavittamaḥ | aṣṭatriṃśatkalānyāsamevaṃ kṛtvānupūrvaśaḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം വിധിജ്ഞനായ সাধകൻ പതിമൂന്ന് കലകളെ ക്രമമായി ന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം—ഗുദം, ഉപസ്ഥം, തുടകൾ, മുട്ടുകൾ എന്നിവയിൽ. ജംഘകൾ, നിതംബം, കടി, പാർശ്വങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയിൽ വാമദേവഭാവം ധ്യാനിക്കണം. പിന്നെ നാസിക, ശിരസ്, ഇരുഭുജങ്ങൾ എന്നിവിടങ്ങളിലും കലകളെ സ്ഥാപിക്കണം. ഇങ്ങനെ മുപ്പത്തിയെട്ട് കലാ-ന്യാസം അനുക്രമമായി ചെയ്ത് അവൻ പടിപടിയായി മുന്നേറും।

Word by Word

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• trayoḥ: of the three
• trayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Indeclinable-like numeral used in compound; (दश)

• kalāḥ: parts/kalās
• kalāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pāyu-meḍhra-ūru-jānuṣu: in the anus, genitals, thighs and knees
• pāyu-meḍhra-ūru-jānuṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyu + meḍhra + ūru + jānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva compound; Neuter (collective), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; components: pāyu (anus), meḍhra (genital), ūru (thigh), jānu (knee)

• jaṃghā-sphik-kaṭi-pārśveṣu: in the shins, buttocks, waist and sides
• jaṃghā-sphik-kaṭi-pārśveṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṃghā + sphik + kaṭi + pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva compound; Neuter (collective), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; components: jaṃghā (shin), sphik (buttock), kaṭi (waist), pārśva (side)

• vāmadevasya: of Vāmadeva
• vāmadevasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmadeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhāvayet: should contemplate/visualize
• bhāvayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) of √bhū; Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• ghrāṇe: in the nose
• ghrāṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• śirasi: on the head
• śirasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• bāhvoḥ: in/on the two arms
• bāhvoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• kalpayet: should arrange/assign
• kalpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kḷp (धातु)
• Form: Causative/denominative sense ‘arrange/assign’; Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• kalpa-vittamaḥ: the best knower of ritual procedure
• kalpa-vittamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa + vittama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (genitive/qualificatory) compound; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; kalpa (ritual procedure) + vittama (best knower)

• aṣṭa-triṃśat-kalā-nyāsam: the placement (nyāsa) of thirty-eight kalās
• aṣṭa-triṃśat-kalā-nyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa + triṃśat + kalā + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘nyāsa of thirty-eight kalās’

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्); ‘having done’

• anupūrvaśaḥ: in due order, sequentially
• anupūrvaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anupūrvaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रमवाचक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vamadeva

FAQs

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

It teaches kalā-nyāsa—an inner consecration where the aspirant mentally installs Śiva’s divine powers in the body, making the body a purified seat for worship, mantra, and realization of Pati (Śiva) beyond pasha (bondage).

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

Nyāsa is a Saguna method: by assigning Śiva’s aspects (here highlighting Vāmadeva) to limbs and centers, the devotee internalizes the Liṅga-worship—turning external ritual into inward adoration that leads toward the Nirguna truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential kalā-nyāsa meditation: visualize and “place” the specified kalās in the listed body-points, especially contemplating Vāmadeva in the legs/hips/waist/sides, as preparation for mantra-japa and deeper Śaiva yoga.