Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

समयाह्वय-संस्कारः — Rite of ‘Samayāhvaya’ and the Preparatory Layout

Maṇḍapa, Vedi, Kuṇḍas, Maṇḍala, Śiva-kumbha

Devanagari script

कृत्वा वेदिं च तन्मध्ये कुण्डानि परिकल्पयेत् । अष्टदिक्षु तथा दिक्षु तत्रैशान्यां पुनः क्रमात्

Transliteration

kṛtvā vediṃ ca tanmadhye kuṇḍāni parikalpayet | aṣṭadikṣu tathā dikṣu tatraiśānyāṃ punaḥ kramāt

Translation

เมื่อจัดทำเวทีแล้ว พึงจัดวางกุณฑะไว้กลางเวที โดยจัดตามทิศทั้งแปด และจากนั้นให้เริ่มตามลำดับใหม่จากทิศอีศานะ (ตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ)

Word by Word

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √कृ ‘having made/done’

• vedim: altar/platform
• vedim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tat-madhye: in its middle
• tat-madhye: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) in sense of adhikaraṇa, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘in the middle of that’

• kuṇḍāni: fire-pits
• kuṇḍāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pari-kalpayet: should arrange/construct
• pari-kalpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-kalp (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with उपसर्ग pari-

• aṣṭa-dikṣu: in the eight directions
• aṣṭa-dikṣu: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); द्विगु-समास: ‘in the eight directions’

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb ‘likewise/also’

• dikṣu: in the directions
• dikṣu: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of place ‘there’

• aiśānyām: in the north-east
• aiśānyām: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in the north-east (direction)’

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb ‘again/further’

• kramāt: in due order
• kramāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग), Singular; ‘in order/stepwise’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship is not random but ordered: the altar and the directional layout discipline the mind, turning outer ritual into inner alignment with Pati (Shiva), the Lord who grants purity and liberation.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship through structured ritual space (vedī, kuṇḍas, directions). Such ordered worship is a means to approach the Linga with reverence, purity, and correct devotional focus.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It indicates homa/arcana preparation: construct the vedī, place kuṇḍas aligned to the eight directions, and commence the sequence from the Īśāna (north-east) quarter—traditionally auspicious for Shiva—while maintaining mantra-centered attention.