Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

वायव्यां पुनरैशान्यां चतुर्दिक्षु ततः परम् । गर्भावरणमाख्यातं मन्त्रसंघातमेव वा

Transliteration

vāyavyāṃ punaraiśānyāṃ caturdikṣu tataḥ param | garbhāvaraṇamākhyātaṃ mantrasaṃghātameva vā

Translation

വായവ്യത്തിലും വീണ്ടും ഈശാന്യത്തിലും, തുടർന്ന് നാലുദിക്കുകളിലും ‘ഗർഭാവരണം’ എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു—അതായത് മന്ത്രങ്ങളുടെ പുണ്യസംഘാതവും വിന്യാസവും തന്നേ.

Word by Word

• वायव्याम्: in the north-west (direction)
• वायव्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ऐशान्याम्: in the north-east (direction)
• ऐशान्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐशान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• चतुर्-दिक्षु: in the four directions
• चतुर्-दिक्षु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (दिश्), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास; अधिकरण

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमसूचक (ablatival adverb: 'thereafter/from that')

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-विशेषण (adverbial use of neuter accusative singular)

• गर्भ-आवरणम्: the ‘womb’ enclosure (inner covering)
• गर्भ-आवरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• आख्यातम्: is called/declared
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is called/declared’

• मन्त्र-संघातम्: a collection/cluster of mantras
• मन्त्र-संघातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; (आख्यातम् इति क्रियापदस्य कर्मरूपेण)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship is not random but ordered: the sanctum is spiritually “enclosed” by mantras in the directions, expressing the Shaiva Siddhanta principle that mantra and ritual discipline purify the pashu (soul) and loosen pasha (bondage) under the grace of Pati (Shiva).

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

The “garbha” points to the inner shrine where the Shiva-linga is installed; the directional mantra-grouping forms a protective and reverential circuit around Saguna Shiva, supporting focused devotion and correct upachara in linga-puja.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It indicates mantra-nyasa/āvaraṇa worship—placing and reciting prescribed mantras in the directions around the sanctum—used as a protective and concentrative practice alongside japa (such as the Panchakshara) and regular linga-arcana.