Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

प्रथमावरणं प्रोक्तं मया ते यदुनंदन । द्वितीयावरणं प्रीत्या प्रोच्यते श्रद्धया शृणु

Transliteration

prathamāvaraṇaṃ proktaṃ mayā te yadunaṃdana | dvitīyāvaraṇaṃ prītyā procyate śraddhayā śṛṇu

Translation

Ó alegria dos Yadus, já te expliquei o primeiro recinto (āvaraṇa). Agora, com afeição, descreverei o segundo recinto—ouve com fé.

Word by Word

• प्रथम-आवरणम्: the first enclosure (āvaraṇa)
• प्रथम-आवरणम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (प्रथमम् आवरणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• प्रोक्तम्: has been declared
• प्रोक्तम्: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच्/वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘said/declared’

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent in passive; कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (speaker), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; ‘by me’

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदानम् (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम्; ‘to you/for you’

• यदुनन्दन: O son of Yadu
• यदुनन्दन: सम्बोधनम् (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: यदोः नन्दनः); पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• द्वितीय-आवरणम्: the second enclosure
• द्वितीय-आवरणम्: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (द्वितीयम् आवरणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: करणम्/भाव (Instrument/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेतौ/भावे (as adverbial: ‘with affection’)

• प्रोच्यते: is explained
• प्रोच्यते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive: ‘is being told’)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: करणम्/भाव (Instrument/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; करण/भाव (with faith)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching a Yadu-descended interlocutor, traditionally Krishna, in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā’s instructional discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Shiva’s higher instructions unfold in stages (āvaraṇas), and that śraddhā—faithful receptivity—is essential for the teaching to become transformative, moving the soul toward Shiva (Pati) through devotion and disciplined understanding.

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

The term āvaraṇa points to structured layers or ‘circuits’ of worship around Saguna Shiva as the Linga—progressive steps of reverence that train attention, purity, and devotion, preparing the devotee for deeper contemplation of Shiva’s supreme nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential, step-by-step approach to worship is implied: complete the first āvaraṇa before proceeding to the next, maintaining śraddhā and prīti (devotional warmth). Practically, this aligns with orderly Linga-pūjā—mantra-japa (e.g., Panchakshara), offerings, and inward listening to the teaching while worship proceeds.