Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

अष्टपत्राणि तस्याहुरणिमादिगुणाष्टकम् । केसराणि च वामाद्या रुद्रावामादिशक्तिभिः

Transliteration

aṣṭapatrāṇi tasyāhuraṇimādiguṇāṣṭakam | kesarāṇi ca vāmādyā rudrāvāmādiśaktibhiḥ

Translation

അവർ പറയുന്നു: അതിന്റെ എട്ട് ദളങ്ങൾ അണിമാദി എട്ട് ഗുണങ്ങളാണ്. അതിന്റെ കേസരങ്ങൾ വാമാ മുതലായവ—രുദ്രാ, വാമാ തുടങ്ങിയ ശക്തികളായി, അവയാൽ പ്രഭുവിനെ ഭക്തിപൂർവ്വം ധ്യാനിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अष्ट-पत्राणि: eight petals
• अष्ट-पत्राणि: कर्म (Karma; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास = ‘eight petals’

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

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रियापद (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; उत्तम? (No) प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; ‘they say’

• अणिमा-आदि-गुण-अष्टकम्: the eight qualities starting with aṇimā
• अणिमा-आदि-गुण-अष्टकम्: समानााधिकरण/उपपद-निर्देश (Predicate nominative/apposition to अष्टपत्राणि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अणिमा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास = ‘the set of eight qualities beginning with aṇimā’

• केसराणि: stamens/filaments
• केसराणि: कर्म (Karma; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya; coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• वामा-आद्याः: Vāmā and the others
• वामा-आद्याः: कर्ता (Kartā; subject, understood with ‘(भवन्ति/सन्ति)’ or apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास = ‘Vāmā and others’ (a group-name)

• रुद्रा-वामा-आदि-शक्तिभिः: by/with the śaktis like Rudrā and Vāmā
• रुद्रा-वामा-आदि-शक्तिभिः: करण (Karaṇa; instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + वामा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास = ‘by/with the powers (śaktis) such as Rudrā, Vāmā, etc.’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vayu Samhita discourse to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

The verse encodes a yogic-Śaiva meditation symbol: the eight petals represent inner perfections (aṇimā and the rest), while the filaments signify Śakti-powers like Rudrā and Vāmā—showing that realization of Pati (Shiva) is approached through purification and the Lord’s grace-power (Śakti).

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā through a structured visualization: devotees contemplate Shiva together with His Śaktis and auspicious attributes, using a lotus/maṇḍala model that steadies the mind and makes Linga-dhyāna more inward and concentrated.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A lotus-based dhyāna: meditate on an eight-petalled lotus, place the eight siddhi-like qualities on the petals, and contemplate Shiva’s Śaktis (Rudrā, Vāmā, etc.) as the inner energizing principle—supporting mantra-japa and steady absorption.