Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

कृत्वा पूर्वोदितं सर्वं विना वा मंडपादिकम् । मंडलं पूर्ववत्कृत्वा स्थंडिलं च विभावसोः

Transliteration

kṛtvā pūrvoditaṃ sarvaṃ vinā vā maṃḍapādikam | maṃḍalaṃ pūrvavatkṛtvā sthaṃḍilaṃ ca vibhāvasoḥ

Translation

Tendo concluído tudo o que foi anteriormente prescrito—podendo omitir o pavilhão e estruturas afins—deve-se preparar o maṇḍala como antes e dispor também o sthaṇḍila, o solo consagrado para Vibhāvas, o fogo sagrado.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), 'having done'

• पूर्व-उदितम्: previously stated
• पूर्व-उदितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'previously stated'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेषण (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition-like: without)

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

• मण्डप-आदिकम्: the pavilion and the like
• मण्डप-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'pavilion etc.'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मण्डलम्: maṇḍala
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: as before)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• स्थण्डिलम्: altar-ground/raised platform
• स्थण्डिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विभावसोः: of Vibhāvasu (Agni)
• विभावसोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभावसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'अग्नि' (fire)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes adaptability: even without a full maṇḍapa, essential sanctification (maṇḍala + sthaṇḍila for fire) sustains the rite—supporting household and constrained practitioners.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva worship is rooted in inner discipline and right procedure: even if external grandeur (like a pavilion) is reduced, the sanctification of space through a maṇḍala and a purified sthaṇḍila preserves the integrity of the offering to Shiva, aligning the devotee (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) through ordered worship.

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

The verse supports Saguna worship through ritual preparation—creating a consecrated field for offerings (including fire rites that often accompany Linga-puja). The maṇḍala and sthaṇḍila establish purity and focus so that external acts become vehicles for devotion and grace, rather than mere display.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a clean, sanctified spot (sthaṇḍila) and draw the maṇḍala as instructed earlier; then perform worship with a steady mind, using mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara, if prescribed in the wider rite) alongside offerings into the sacred fire where applicable.