Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

प्रभामाग्नेयदिग्भागे नैरृते तु सरस्वतीम् । गणांबिका च वायव्ये लक्ष्मीं रौद्रे समर्चयेत्

Transliteration

prabhāmāgneyadigbhāge nairṛte tu sarasvatīm | gaṇāṃbikā ca vāyavye lakṣmīṃ raudre samarcayet

Translation

Di penjuru tenggara hendaklah dipuja Prabhā; di penjuru barat daya (Nairṛti) dipuja Sarasvatī. Di penjuru barat laut (Vāyavya) dipuja Gaṇāmbikā; dan di penjuru timur laut, arah Rudra, dipuja Lakṣmī dengan penuh hormat.

Word by Word

• prabhām: Prabhā (goddess/brightness)
• prabhām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• āgneyadigbhāge: in the Agneya (southeast) quarter/portion
• āgneyadigbhāge: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgneya + diś + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: āgneyāyāḥ diśaḥ bhāgaḥ (in the portion of the Agneya direction)

• nairṛte: in the Nairṛta (southwest) quarter
• nairṛte: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (used adverbially as location)

• tu: and/then/but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (nipāta/निपात) indicating contrast/sequence

• sarasvatīm: Sarasvatī
• sarasvatīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• gaṇāmbikā: Gaṇāmbikā (mother of the gaṇas)
• gaṇāmbikā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa + ambikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: gaṇānām ambikā (mother of the gaṇas)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (samuccaya/समुच्चय)

• vāyavye: in the Vāyavya (northwest) quarter
• vāyavye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana (locative of direction)

• lakṣmīm: Lakṣmī
• lakṣmīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• raudre: in the Raudra quarter/region
• raudre: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raुदra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana (locative of direction/region)

• samarcayet: should worship
• samarcayet: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + arc (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; causative not; meaning ‘should worship’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Sarasvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Prabha
• Sarasvati
• Ganambika
• Lakshmi
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred space is consecrated by honoring divine powers (Śakti-forms) in specific directions, establishing order (ṛta) around Rudra so the devotee’s mind becomes centered and fit for Shiva-oriented contemplation and liberation.

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

In Saguna practice, the Liṅga is worshiped as Shiva’s accessible form, and the surrounding directional deities are invoked as supportive Śaktis that complete the mandala—protecting the rite and aligning the worshipper’s senses toward the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A directional (dik) worship/mandala procedure: mentally or ritually place and honor Prabhā, Sarasvatī, Gaṇāmbikā, and Lakṣmī in their quarters while maintaining Shiva-mantra focus (e.g., Panchakshara) as part of pūjā or dhyāna.