Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । प्रोक्षयेन्मूलमंत्रेण पूजास्थानं विशुद्धये । गन्धचन्दनतोयेन पुष्पं तत्र विनिक्षिपेत्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | prokṣayenmūlamaṃtreṇa pūjāsthānaṃ viśuddhaye | gandhacandanatoyena puṣpaṃ tatra vinikṣipet

Translation

ഉപമന്യു പറഞ്ഞു—പൂജാസ്ഥലം ശുദ്ധിയാക്കാൻ മൂലമന്ത്രം ജപിച്ച് ജലം പ്രോക്ഷണം ചെയ്യണം. തുടർന്ന് ഗന്ധവും ചന്ദനവും കലർന്ന സുഗന്ധജലത്തോടെ അവിടെ പുഷ്പം സമർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रोक्षयेत्: should sprinkle
• प्रोक्षयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मूलमन्त्रेण: with the root-mantra
• मूलमन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (mūlaḥ mantraḥ / mūlasya mantraḥ)

• पूजास्थानम्: the place of worship
• पूजास्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pūjāyāḥ sthānam)

• विशुद्धये: for purification
• विशुद्धये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; प्रयोजन-द्योतक (dative of purpose)

• गन्धचन्दनतोयेन: with perfume, sandal, and water
• गन्धचन्दनतोयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (gandhaś ca candanaṃ ca toyaṃ ca)

• पुष्पम्: a flower
• पुष्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• विनिक्षिपेत्: should place/put down
• विनिक्षिपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer purification (sprinkling the worship space) is joined to inner sanctification through mantra, aligning the devotee and the altar-space for Shiva’s presence in a pure, sattvic mode of worship.

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

Before offering to the Shiva-linga (Saguna worship), the worship area is ritually purified with mantra and fragrant sandalwater, establishing a consecrated environment suitable for upacāras like flowers and gandha.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-prokṣaṇa (sprinkling with sanctified water while repeating the mūla-mantra) and then offer a flower with scented sandalwater—simple, focused steps that steady the mind in devotional attention.