Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 37

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

मुक्तादामवितानाढ्यं विद्रुमद्वारतोरणम् । चामीकरमयैर्दिव्यैर्मुकुटैः कुम्भलक्षणैः

Transliteration

muktādāmavitānāḍhyaṃ vidrumadvāratoraṇam | cāmīkaramayairdivyairmukuṭaiḥ kumbhalakṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

அது முத்துமாலைகளின் விதானங்களால் செழுமையுற்றது; அதன் வாயில்-தோரணங்கள் பவளத்தால் செய்யப்பட்டன. மேலும் கலச-லட்சணமுடைய தெய்வீகப் பொன்னாலான முக்குடம் போன்ற சிகர அலங்காரங்களால் அது ஒளிர்ந்தது.

Word by Word

• मुक्ता: pearls
• मुक्ता: Viśeṣya/Upapada (विशेष्य/उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (feminine, nominative/accusative, plural)

• दाम: garland/string
• दाम: Viśeṣya/Upapada (विशेष्य/उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative, singular)

• वितान: canopy/awning
• वितान: Viśeṣya/Upapada (विशेष्य/उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वितान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative, singular)

• आढ्यम्: richly furnished/abounding
• आढ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, nominative/accusative, singular; adjective)

• विद्रुम: coral
• विद्रुम: Upapada (उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem; used in compound)

• द्वार: door/gate
• द्वार: Upapada (उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem; used in compound)

• तोरणम्: arch/torana of the coral gate
• तोरणम्: Karma/Viśeṣya (कर्म/विशेष्य; described object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विद्रुमस्य द्वारस्य तोरणम्) (neuter, nominative/accusative, singular; genitive tatpuruṣa)

• चामीकर: gold
• चामीकर: Upapada (उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामीकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem; used in compound)

• मयैः: made of gold
• मयैः: Karaṇa (करण; instrumental of means/material)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तद्धितान्त-विशेषण (X-मय = made of X); तत्पुरुष-समासः (चामीकरमय) (masculine, instrumental, plural; taddhita adjective)

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Karaṇa (करण; agrees with instrumental group)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (masculine, instrumental, plural; adjective)

• मुकुटैः: with crowns/diadems
• मुकुटैः: Karaṇa (करण; by/with crowns)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• कुम्भ: pot/urn
• कुम्भ: Upapada (उपपद; compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem; used in compound)

• लक्षणैः: having pot-like marks/emblems
• लक्षणैः: Karaṇa (करण; qualifies instrumental group)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कुम्भलक्षण = having pot-marks/urn-shaped emblems) (masculine, instrumental, plural; adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Auspicious markers (kumbha-lakṣaṇa) and lavish adornment are read as external signs of inner consecration, inviting grace (anugraha) through śraddhā and śobha offered to Umāpati.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse sanctifies sacred space by describing auspicious adornments—pearls, coral, gold, and the kumbha-sign—showing how Saguna forms and symbols can steady devotion and turn the mind toward Shiva, the supreme Pati.

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

Such descriptions mirror how a Shaiva shrine or sanctum is beautified for Shiva-Linga worship: external purity and auspicious decoration support inner reverence, helping the devotee approach Shiva through visible, consecrated form (Saguna upasana).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is shrine-decoration (alankara) with clean, auspicious materials while maintaining mantra-japa—especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so outer worship and inner recollection proceed together.