Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

कूजद्विहंगवाचालैर्वातोद्धृतलताभुजैः । विमुक्तपुष्पैः सततं व्यालम्बिमृदुपल्लवैः

Transliteration

kūjadvihaṃgavācālairvātoddhṛtalatābhujaiḥ | vimuktapuṣpaiḥ satataṃ vyālambimṛdupallavaiḥ

Translation

ที่นั่นครึกครื้นด้วยเสียงขับขานของวิหคเสมอ เถาวัลย์ถูกลมยกชูดุจแขน กิ่งอ่อนนุ่มห้อยระย้า และดอกไม้ที่หลุดร่วงโปรยปรายไม่ขาดสาย

Word by Word

• कूजत्: chirping
• कूजत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकवत्; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• विहंग: bird
• विहंग: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• वाचालैः: with noisy (chirping-bird) sounds
• वाचालैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कूजद्विहंगवाचालैः = कूजद्भिः विहंगैः वाचालैः (birds that are noisy by chirping)

• वात: wind
• वात: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• उद्धृत: lifted/raised
• उद्धृत: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• लता: creeper
• लता: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• भुजैः: with branches/arms bearing creepers lifted by the wind
• भुजैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—वातोद्धृतलताभुजैः = वातेन उद्धृताः लताः (येषु) भुजाः (arms/branches)

• विमुक्त: released, loosened
• विमुक्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√मुच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• पुष्पैः: with loosened flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—विमुक्तपुष्पैः = विमुक्तैः पुष्पैः

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)

• व्यालम्बि: hanging down
• व्यालम्बि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-आ-√लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• मृदु: soft, tender
• मृदु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद), गुणवाचक

• पल्लवैः: with tender shoots hanging down
• पल्लवैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—व्यालम्बिमृदुपल्लवैः = व्यालम्बिनः मृदवः पल्लवाः (tender shoots hanging down)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: The kṣetra is depicted as perpetually ‘alive’—birds, wind, creepers, falling flowers—suggesting a sustained sacred order (sthiti) around Śiva’s abode where nature itself participates in worship-like rhythm.

Significance: Encourages pilgrims to perceive the environment as liturgy: sound (kūjana), movement (vāta), and offerings (fallen flowers) as continuous upacāra.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

FAQs

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

The verse sanctifies the setting by portraying a naturally sattvic, peaceful environment—suggesting that a mind softened by beauty, silence, and purity becomes fit for Shaiva contemplation of Pati (Shiva) and for loosening the bonds (pāśa) that bind the soul (paśu).

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

By describing an auspicious, living sacred landscape, the text implies the proper ambience for Saguna Shiva worship—where the devotee approaches the Linga with calm senses, steady attention, and reverence, letting external harmony support inner concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Create a clean, quiet worship space and perform steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with gentle breath awareness; this verse supports dhyāna by emphasizing a serene, distraction-free atmosphere.