Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

राजावर्तमणिप्रख्यान्न्यस्य गात्राणि भावयेत् । अस्योर्ध्वच्छादनं पद्ममासनं विमलं सितम्

Transliteration

rājāvartamaṇiprakhyānnyasya gātrāṇi bhāvayet | asyordhvacchādanaṃ padmamāsanaṃ vimalaṃ sitam

Translation

രാജാവർത്തമണിപോലെ ദീപ്തമായ അവയവങ്ങളെ മനസ്സിൽ ന്യസിച്ച് ധ്യാനിക്കണം. അവന്റെ മേല്ച്ഛാദനം നിർമ്മലവും ശ്വേതവും കളങ്കരഹിതവുമായ പദ്മാസനമാണ്.

Word by Word

• राजावर्त-मणि-प्रख्यात्: (as) famed like the rājāvarta gem
• राजावर्त-मणि-प्रख्यात्: अपादान (Source/standard of comparison; ablative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजावर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'राजावर्तमणिना प्रख्यातः' (renowned for/like the rājāvarta gem)

• न्यस्य: having placed
• न्यस्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) → न्यस् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); 'having placed'

• गात्राणि: limbs
• गात्राणि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• भावयेत्: should contemplate/visualize
• भावयेत्: विधेय-क्रिया (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• अस्य: of this/of him
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्व-छादनम्: upper covering
• ऊर्ध्व-छादनम्: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + छादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'ऊर्ध्वस्य छादनम्'

• पद्मम्: lotus
• पद्मम्: समानााधिकरण/विधेय (Apposition/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: समानााधिकरण/विधेय (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• विमलम्: pure
• विमलम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सितम्: white
• सितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches saguna-dhyana: the devotee stabilizes the mind by contemplating Shiva’s luminous, jewel-like limbs and His pure lotus-seat, making the inner instrument fit for grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

While the Linga points to the formless (nirguṇa) reality, this verse gives a form-based (saguṇa) meditation support—visualizing Shiva’s radiance and throne—so the mind can concentrate and then transcend to the supreme principle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A guided visualization (dhyana) of Lord Shiva’s radiant limbs and His spotless white lotus-seat, typically paired with steady breath, mantra-japa (often the Panchakshara), and mental purification.