Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 57
समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout
Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha
अथापनुद्य स्नानांबु परिधाय सितांबरम् । आचान्तोलंकृतश्शिष्यः प्रांजलिर्मंडपं व्रजेत्
athāpanudya snānāṃbu paridhāya sitāṃbaram | ācāntolaṃkṛtaśśiṣyaḥ prāṃjalirmaṃḍapaṃ vrajet
Em seguida, enxugando a água após o banho e vestindo roupas brancas e limpas, o discípulo—depois de realizar o ācāmana e adornar-se devidamente—deve ir ao maṇḍapa com as mãos postas em reverência.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It teaches that approaching Shiva’s worship requires inner and outer readiness—purity, self-restraint, and humility—so the practitioner enters the sacred space with a mind oriented to Pati (Shiva) rather than to worldly distraction.
The maṇḍapa is the consecrated setting for Saguna Shiva worship, commonly centered on the Shiva-linga; bathing, clean dress, and ācamana are preparatory acts that establish ritual fitness before offering upacāras to the Linga.
It explicitly prescribes snāna (bath), ācamana (ritual sipping/purification), wearing clean white cloth, and entering with añjali (folded hands)—a practical discipline that supports japa and focused devotion during Shiva-puja.