Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

तत्रादौ शिवयोः पार्श्वे दक्षिणे वामतः क्रमात् । गंधाद्यैरर्चयेत्पूर्वं देवौ हेरंबषण्मुखौ

Transliteration

tatrādau śivayoḥ pārśve dakṣiṇe vāmataḥ kramāt | gaṃdhādyairarcayetpūrvaṃ devau heraṃbaṣaṇmukhau

Translation

Di sana, pada permulaan, di sisi Śiva dan Sang Dewi—mula-mula di sebelah kanan kemudian di sebelah kiri menurut tertibnya—hendaklah memulakan pemujaan dengan pes cendana dan persembahan lain kepada dua dewa: Heramba (Gaṇeśa) dan Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda).

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)

• आदौ: at the beginning
• आदौ: कालाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (locative used adverbially: 'at first')

• शिवयोः: of the two Śivas (Śiva and Śakti)
• शिवयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन (dual)

• पार्श्वे: at the side
• पार्श्वे: देशाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: on the right
• दक्षिणे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying 'पार्श्वे')

• वामतः: on the left (side)
• वामतः: देशाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from the left/at the left side')

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: रीति/प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbially: 'in order')

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गन्धः आदिः येषां तैः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: कालाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'first/before')

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन

• हेरम्ब-षण्मुखौ: Heramba (Gaṇeśa) and Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda)
• हेरम्ब-षण्मुखौ: कर्म (Object apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेरम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + षण्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (हेरम्बश्च षण्मुखश्च); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन; 'देवौ' इत्यस्य विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ganesha
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-pūjā begins with proper order and reverence to Śiva’s divine family—removing obstacles through Heramba (Gaṇeśa) and invoking spiritual strength and purity through Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda)—so devotion becomes steady and fruitful.

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

In Saguna worship, Śiva is approached through prescribed upacāras and an ordered mandala of attendants and family-deities; honoring Gaṇeśa and Skanda beside Śiva-Śakti supports the main Linga/Śiva worship by ensuring auspiciousness and continuity of the rite.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin the pūjā by offering gandha (sandal paste) and similar fragrant upacāras, worshipping Gaṇeśa first and then Skanda in sequence, before proceeding further with the main Śiva-Śakti worship.