Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 50
Maṇḍala–Pūjā–Homa Krama
Maṇḍala Worship and Homa Sequence for the Disciple
शुद्धामेव शिशोर्मूर्ध्नि न्यसेच्छान्तिमुखे तथा । विद्यां गलादिनाभ्यंतं प्रतिष्ठां तदधः क्रमात्
śuddhāmeva śiśormūrdhni nyasecchāntimukhe tathā | vidyāṃ galādinābhyaṃtaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ tadadhaḥ kramāt
అతడు శిశువు శిరస్సుపై ‘శుద్ధా’ను స్థాపించాలి; ముఖంపై అలాగే ‘శాంతి’ను. కంఠం నుండి నాభి వరకు ‘విద్యా’ను, దాని కింద క్రమంగా ‘ప్రతిష్ఠా’ను స్థాపించాలి.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse teaches a Shaiva nyāsa pattern: purity (Śuddhā), peace (Śānti), knowledge (Vidyā), and stable establishment (Pratiṣṭhā) are invoked in the body in a graded manner, aligning the devotee’s embodied life with Shiva’s purifying grace (Pati) so the bound soul (paśu) becomes fit for liberation.
Nyāsa is a preparatory act before Saguna Shiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā): the body is consecrated as a vessel of mantra and śakti, so the external offering to the Liṅga is matched by an inner installation of Shiva’s auspicious qualities.
A sequential nyāsa/anga-vinyāsa: mentally (or with mantra) install Śuddhā on the crown, Śānti on the face, Vidyā from throat to navel, and Pratiṣṭhā below—used as a centering practice before japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shiva worship.