Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

कुण्डं विस्तारवन्निम्नं तन्मध्ये ऽष्टदलाम्बुजम् । चतुरंगुलमुत्सेधं तस्य द्व्यंगुलमेव वा

Transliteration

kuṇḍaṃ vistāravannimnaṃ tanmadhye 'ṣṭadalāmbujam | caturaṃgulamutsedhaṃ tasya dvyaṃgulameva vā

Translation

Kuṇḍa hendaklah lebar dan sedikit mendalam; di tengahnya terdapat teratai berkelopak lapan. Bahagian yang ditinggikan hendaklah setinggi empat lebar jari—atau, sebagai pilihan, hanya dua lebar jari.

Word by Word

• कुण्डम्: the fire-pit
• कुण्डम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• विस्तारवत्: having breadth/expanded
• विस्तारवत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्तारवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; -वत् प्रत्यय (possessive)

• निम्नम्: depressed/sunken
• निम्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्: in that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Deictic)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; ‘तन्मध्ये’ इत्यत्र पूर्वपद

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• अष्टदलाम्बुजम्: an eight-petalled lotus
• अष्टदलाम्बुजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object to be made/placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अष्ट दलानि यस्य तत् अम्बुजम्)

• चतुरङ्गुलम्: four-finger (in height)
• चतुरङ्गुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु (चत्वारि अङ्गुलानि प्रमाणं यस्य)

• उत्सेधम्: height/elevation
• उत्सेधम्: Karma (कर्म/Object/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that (of it)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• द्व्यङ्गुलम्: two-finger (in height)
• द्व्यङ्गुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु (द्वे अङ्गुले प्रमाणं यस्य)

• एव: only/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed Shaiva ritual procedure to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links outer ritual precision with inner yogic order: the well-formed kuṇḍa and the eight-petalled lotus symbolize a purified, centered field where the devotee approaches Pati (Śiva) through disciplined worship, making the mind fit for grace and liberation.

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

The lotus-centered arrangement is a ritual support (ālambana) for Saguna Śiva worship—preparing a sacred locus for offerings and contemplation, through which the devotee’s attention becomes steady and directed toward Śiva as the accessible Lord (Pati) who bestows purification and mokṣa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests careful altar/kuṇḍa construction with an eight-petalled lotus and specific angula-based elevations, supporting focused japa and pūjā (commonly with the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) performed with steadiness and cleanliness.