Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

सुप्रलिप्ते महीपृष्ठे दर्पणोदरसंनिभे । प्राचीमुत्पादयेत्पूर्वं शास्त्रदृष्टेन वर्त्मना

Transliteration

supralipte mahīpṛṣṭhe darpaṇodarasaṃnibhe | prācīmutpādayetpūrvaṃ śāstradṛṣṭena vartmanā

Translation

നന്നായി ലേപിച്ച് സമമാക്കിയ, കണ്ണാടിയുടെ ഉള്ളഭാഗംപോലെ മൃദുവായ ഭൂമിപൃഷ്ഠത്തിൽ, ശാസ്ത്രം കാണിച്ച മാർഗ്ഗപ്രകാരം ആദ്യം പ്രാചീ (കിഴക്ക്) ദിശ സ്ഥാപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• su-pralipte: on (a surface) well-smeared
• su-pralipte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + pralipta (कृदन्त, √lip)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (past passive participle): ‘well-smeared/plastered’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (agreeing with mahīpṛṣṭhe)

• mahī-pṛṣṭhe: on the earth’s surface
• mahī-pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘surface of the earth’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• darpaṇa-udara-saṃnibhe: (which is) like the surface of a mirror
• darpaṇa-udara-saṃnibhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: darpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃnibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative): ‘resembling the belly/surface of a mirror’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (qualifying mahīpṛṣṭhe)

• prācīm: the eastern direction / eastward line
• prācīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prācī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; दिक् (direction)

• utpādayet: should establish/produce
• utpādayet: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-√pad (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should produce/establish’

• pūrvam: first
• pūrvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb): ‘first/beforehand’

• śāstra-dṛṣṭena: by the scripturally prescribed
• śāstra-dṛṣṭena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘seen/approved by scripture’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (agreeing with vartmanā)

• vartmanā: by the path/method
• vartmanā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vartman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

FAQs

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

It emphasizes śāstra-vidhi—worship becomes spiritually fruitful when the devotee prepares a pure, orderly space and aligns actions with scriptural discipline, expressing devotion through right method.

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

Linga worship is traditionally performed in a consecrated, properly oriented ritual space; establishing the eastern direction is part of preparing the adhivāsa/altar environment where Saguna Shiva is invoked and honored through prescribed rites.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a clean, smooth ritual ground (maṇḍala/vedi area) and first determine the east according to scripture before commencing puja—an instruction relevant to setting up a linga, maṇḍala drawing, and formal worship.