Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16
समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout
Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha
अथार्णवस्य तीरे वा नद्यां गोष्ठे ऽपि वा गिरौ । देवागरे गृहे वापि देशे ऽन्यस्मिन्मनोहरे
athārṇavasya tīre vā nadyāṃ goṣṭhe 'pi vā girau | devāgare gṛhe vāpi deśe 'nyasminmanohare
नंतर समुद्रकिनारी, नदीतीरी, गोठ्यात, पर्वतावर, देवळात, घरी किंवा अन्य मनोहर स्थानी—तेथे बंधनमोचक पति शिवाचे पूजन व ध्यान करावे.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: The verse universalizes eligibility and locus: Śiva-worship is not confined to a single kṣetra; any ‘manohara deśa’ becomes a śiva-kṣetra through bhakti and vidhi.
Significance: Affirms portability of worship (gṛha/araṇya/tīra/giri/devāgāra), encouraging constant remembrance and reducing dependence on exclusive sacred geography.
Role: liberating
FAQs
It teaches that Śiva-sādhana is not confined to a single holy site; any pure and focused setting can become a sacred field for remembering Pati (Śiva), loosening pāśa (bondage) and ripening the soul toward mokṣa.
By listing temple and home alongside natural places, the verse supports Saguna worship through Liṅga/arcana wherever one is established—affirming that the Lord’s grace is accessible through devotion rather than geography alone.
Choose a conducive place (temple, home, riverbank, etc.) and perform simple Śiva-upāsanā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), dhyāna on Śiva, and, where appropriate, Liṅga-pūjā with bhasma and rudrākṣa as supportive disciplines.