Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

पूजाविधान-व्याख्या (Pūjāvidhāna-vyākhyā) — Exposition of the Procedure of Worship

Devanagari script

भ्रूमध्ये च शिवं ध्यायेच्छुद्धदीपशिखाकृतिम् । इत्थमंगे स्वतंत्रे वा योगे ध्यानमये शुभे

Transliteration

bhrūmadhye ca śivaṃ dhyāyecchuddhadīpaśikhākṛtim | itthamaṃge svataṃtre vā yoge dhyānamaye śubhe

Translation

ഭ്രൂമധ്യത്തിൽ ശുദ്ധ ദീപശിഖാരൂപനായ ശിവനെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം. ഇങ്ങനെ ധ്യാനമയമായ ശുഭയോഗത്തിൽ, അങ്കാശ്രയത്തോടെയോ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ സ്വതന്ത്രമായോ അഭ്യാസം ചെയ്യാം।

Word by Word

• भ्रूमध्ये: in the middle of the eyebrows
• भ्रूमध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू-मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—भ्रुवोः मध्ये (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate (upon)
• ध्यायेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शुद्धदीपशिखाकृतिम्: having the form of a pure lamp-flame
• शुद्धदीपशिखाकृतिम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध-दीप-शिखा-आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष): शुद्धस्य दीपस्य शिखायाः आकृतिः यस्य (having the form of a pure lamp-flame)

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• अङ्गे: in a limb/part (of the body)
• अङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्वतन्त्रे: independent
• स्वतन्त्रे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण—योगे (in an independent/free [mode])

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle: or)

• योगे: in yoga
• योगे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• ध्यानमये: consisting of meditation
• ध्यानमये: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यानमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—ध्यानं मयम् (तत्पुरुष) = consisting of meditation

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण—योगे

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching as a yoga instruction within the Purana’s discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches inner upāsanā: meditating on Śiva as pure consciousness-symbolized by a steady, stainless flame—at the bhrūmadhya, a key yogic center for one-pointedness and awakening of insight leading toward liberation (mokṣa).

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

The ‘pure lamp-flame’ functions like an inner liṅga (jyoti-liṅga as inner light): a saguna support for meditation that leads the mind toward Śiva’s subtler, transcendent reality, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s path from form-supported worship to higher realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna practice: focus attention at the space between the eyebrows and contemplate Śiva as a steady, pure flame; it may be done with a supportive yogic ‘aṅga’ (auxiliary focus/limb) or as direct, independent meditation.