Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

द्वितीयतृतीयावरणपूजाक्रमः | The Sequence of the Second and Third Enclosure Worship (Āvaraṇa-pūjā)

Devanagari script

द्वितीयावरणे चेज्यास्सर्वर्तश्चक्रवर्तिनः । तृतीयावरणे पूज्याः शक्तिभिश्चाष्टमूर्तयः

Transliteration

dvitīyāvaraṇe cejyāssarvartaścakravartinaḥ | tṛtīyāvaraṇe pūjyāḥ śaktibhiścāṣṭamūrtayaḥ

Translation

ദ്വിതീയ ആവരണത്തിൽ സർവാർത്ഥസിദ്ധി വരുത്തുന്ന ചക്രവർത്തിമാരെ പൂജിക്കണം. തൃതീയ ആവരണത്തിൽ ശക്തികളോടുകൂടിയ ശിവന്റെ അഷ്ടമൂർത്തികളെ ആരാധിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• dvitīya-āvaraṇe: in the second enclosure/covering
• dvitīya-āvaraṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/in)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘द्वितीयम् आवरणम्’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• ijyāḥ: are to be worshipped
• ijyāḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ijyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be worshipped)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of cakravartinaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ṛtaḥ: the ṛtas (order/true ones)
• ṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; with cakravartinaḥ as apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; पाठान्तर/रूप-सम्भावना: ‘ऋताः’ (orderly/true ones) — अर्थानुसारं ‘सर्वे’ इत्यस्य सहपद

• cakravartinaḥ: cakravartins (universal rulers)
• cakravartinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakravartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• tṛtīya-āvaraṇe: in the third enclosure
• tṛtīya-āvaraṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/in)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘तृतीयम् आवरणम्’)

• pūjyāḥ: are to be worshipped
• pūjyāḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (पूज्य, कृदन्त from pūj धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कृदन्त (यत्), ‘to be worshipped’

• śaktibhiḥ: with the śaktis
• śaktibhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/with, accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• aṣṭa-mūrtayaḥ: the eight forms (Aṣṭamūrtis)
• aṣṭa-mūrtayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (‘अष्टौ मूर्तयः’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Ashtamurti

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is approached in ordered “enclosures” (āvaraṇas): one honors supporting divine principles and cosmic orders, then proceeds inward toward Śiva’s own cosmic manifestations (Aṣṭamūrti) united with Śakti—showing that liberation arises from Pati (Śiva) realized along with His inseparable power.

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

Āvaraṇa-pūjā is a Saguna method: the Liṅga is worshipped at the center while surrounding layers of related deities/principles are honored in sequence. The verse specifies that, as worship deepens, attention moves from worldly sovereignty (cakravartin ideals) to Śiva’s Aṣṭamūrti—His immanent presence in the cosmos—together with Śakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-pūjā with āvaraṇa-nyāsa/āvaraṇa-arcana: worship the second enclosure’s presiding powers, then the third enclosure by invoking Śiva’s Aṣṭamūrti with their Śaktis, supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a steady contemplative focus on Śiva as both transcendent and immanent.