Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1
न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया
Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification
उपमन्युरुवाच । न्यासस्तु त्रिविधः प्रोक्तः स्थित्युत्पत्तिलयक्रमात् । स्थितिर्न्यासो गृहस्थानामुत्पत्तिर्ब्रह्मचारिणाम् । यतीनां संहृतिन्यासो वनस्थानां तथैव च । स एव भर्तृहीनायाः कुटुंबिन्याः स्थितिर्भवेत्
upamanyuruvāca | nyāsastu trividhaḥ proktaḥ sthityutpattilayakramāt | sthitirnyāso gṛhasthānāmutpattirbrahmacāriṇām | yatīnāṃ saṃhṛtinyāso vanasthānāṃ tathaiva ca | sa eva bhartṛhīnāyāḥ kuṭuṃbinyāḥ sthitirbhavet
உபமன்யு கூறினார்— “ந்யாசம் நிலை, உற்பத்தி, லயம் என்ற வரிசையில் மூவகையாக உரைக்கப்படுகிறது. இல்லறத்தார்க்கு நிலை-ந்யாசம்; பிரம்மச்சாரிகளுக்கு உற்பத்தி-ந்யாசம். யதிகளுக்கு ஸம்ஹ்ருதி (லயம்)-ந்யாசம்; வானப்ரஸ்தர்களுக்கும் அதுவே. அதே நிலை-ந்யாசம் கணவரற்ற இல்லத்தரசியுக்கும் பொருந்தும்.”
Sage Upamanyu
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that nyāsa is not a one-size ritual; it is adapted to one’s āśrama (life-stage). The same Shaiva goal—inner alignment to Pati (Shiva) and loosening of pāśa (bondage)—is pursued through sustaining, manifesting, or withdrawing modes of practice.
Nyāsa prepares the worshipper’s body-mind as a fit vessel for Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga-pūjā) by installing mantra and divine awareness in the limbs and heart. The mode (sthiti/utpatti/saṁhṛti) reflects whether one is sustaining dharma in the world or moving toward withdrawal and dissolution into Shiva-consciousness.
Practice mantra-nyāsa according to your station: householders emphasize sthiti-nyāsa (steady daily japa and pūjā), brahmacārins emphasize utpatti-nyāsa (disciplined mantra-formation and purity), and renunciants/forest-dwellers emphasize saṁhṛti-nyāsa (withdrawal, inner dissolution, and meditation on Shiva).