Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

शिवाग्नौ वा यजेद्देवं होमद्रव्यैश्च सप्तभिः । समभ्यर्च्य यथान्यायं सर्वावरणदेवताः

Transliteration

śivāgnau vā yajeddevaṃ homadravyaiśca saptabhiḥ | samabhyarcya yathānyāyaṃ sarvāvaraṇadevatāḥ

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശിവാഗ്നിയിൽ ഏഴ് ഹോമദ്രവ്യങ്ങളാൽ ദേവനെ യജിക്കണം; വിധിപ്രകാരം സമഭ്യർചന ചെയ്ത് എല്ലാ ആവരണദേവതകളെയും ആദരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• शिव-अग्नौ: in the Śiva-fire (sacred fire for Śiva)
• शिव-अग्नौ: अधिकरण (Locative/Place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य अग्निः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• होम-द्रव्यैः: with oblation materials
• होम-द्रव्यैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘होमस्य द्रव्याणि’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• सप्तभिः: with seven (kinds)
• सप्तभिः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (द्रव्यैः इति सह) नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• यथा-न्यायम्: according to proper rule
• यथा-न्यायम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘न्यायेन’ अर्थे

• सर्व-आवरण-देवताः: all the deities of the (ritual) enclosures
• सर्व-आवरण-देवताः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (आवरणस्य देवताः; सर्वाः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a single jyotirliṅga; describes ‘Śivāgni’ (Śiva-fire) homa as an alternative completion rite, including āvaraṇa-devatā worship—typical of Śaiva yāga frameworks.

Significance: Affirms homa as a Śaiva means of purification and consecration; honoring āvaraṇas integrates the cosmos into Śiva-worship, aligning the practitioner with Śiva’s order (ṛta/dharma).

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship becomes complete when offered with purity, correct method (yathānyāya), and devotion—honoring Śiva as the central Pati while respectfully including attendant divine powers (āvaraṇa-devatās) within His sacred order.

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

The verse describes Saguna-Śiva worship through a concrete rite—Śiva-homa in the sacred fire—where the Lord is approached as the accessible, worship-worthy form, and the surrounding deities are revered as subordinate to Him.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-homa using seven designated oblation materials and then worship the āvaraṇa-devatās in their proper sequence; the key takeaway is disciplined, rule-based worship that supports steady bhakti and inner purification.