Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

तस्योपरि शिवं ध्यायेत्सांबं सर्वमनोहरम् । सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं सर्वावयवशोभनम्

Transliteration

tasyopari śivaṃ dhyāyetsāṃbaṃ sarvamanoharam | sarvalakṣaṇasaṃpannaṃ sarvāvayavaśobhanam

Translation

അതിന്റെ മുകളിൽ അംബാ (ഉമാ) സഹിതനായ സർവമനോഹരനായ ഭഗവാൻ ശിവനെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം—സകല ശുഭലക്ഷണങ്ങളാൽ സമ്പന്നനും, എല്ലാ അവയവങ്ങളും ശോഭിക്കുന്നവനും ആയി।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that/of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उपरि: above/upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb/preposition: above/upon)

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

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्या (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साम्बम्: with Umā (Sāmbam)
• साम्बम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (one who is with Ambā/Umā)

• सर्वमनोहरम्: all-charming
• सर्वमनोहरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (sarva-manohara = charming to all/most charming)

• सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नम्: possessing all auspicious marks
• सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + लक्षण + संपन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (endowed with all marks)

• सर्वावयवशोभनम्: beautiful in every limb
• सर्वावयवशोभनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अवयव + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (beautiful in all limbs)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches sāguṇa-dhyāna: contemplating Śiva inseparable from Śakti (Sāmbā/Umā-sahita) as the compassionate Pati who reveals grace and leads the bound soul (paśu) beyond pāśa toward mokṣa.

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

The instruction “above that” commonly follows a prior support (often the liṅga or a worship-seat), then culminates in meditating on the personal, auspicious form of Śiva with Umā—showing how liṅga-upāsanā and form-meditation unite in one worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice focused dhyāna by visualizing Samba Śiva—radiant, auspicious, and complete—while maintaining japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a steady devotional mind.