Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 50
Maṇḍala–Pūjā–Homa Krama
Maṇḍala Worship and Homa Sequence for the Disciple
शुद्धामेव शिशोर्मूर्ध्नि न्यसेच्छान्तिमुखे तथा । विद्यां गलादिनाभ्यंतं प्रतिष्ठां तदधः क्रमात्
śuddhāmeva śiśormūrdhni nyasecchāntimukhe tathā | vidyāṃ galādinābhyaṃtaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ tadadhaḥ kramāt
तो शिशूच्या मस्तकावर ‘शुद्धा’चा न्यास करावा आणि मुखावर तसेच ‘शान्ति’चा। कंठापासून नाभीपर्यंत ‘विद्या’चा, आणि त्याखाली क्रमाने ‘प्रतिष्ठा’चा न्यास करावा।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse teaches a Shaiva nyāsa pattern: purity (Śuddhā), peace (Śānti), knowledge (Vidyā), and stable establishment (Pratiṣṭhā) are invoked in the body in a graded manner, aligning the devotee’s embodied life with Shiva’s purifying grace (Pati) so the bound soul (paśu) becomes fit for liberation.
Nyāsa is a preparatory act before Saguna Shiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā): the body is consecrated as a vessel of mantra and śakti, so the external offering to the Liṅga is matched by an inner installation of Shiva’s auspicious qualities.
A sequential nyāsa/anga-vinyāsa: mentally (or with mantra) install Śuddhā on the crown, Śānti on the face, Vidyā from throat to navel, and Pratiṣṭhā below—used as a centering practice before japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shiva worship.