Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

शिवाचार्याभिषेकविधिः / Rite of Consecrating a Śiva-Teacher (Śivācārya Abhiṣeka)

Devanagari script

निवृत्तिं पुरतो न्यस्य प्रतिष्ठां पश्चिमे घटे । विद्यां दक्षिणतः शांतिमुत्तरे मध्यतः पराम्

Transliteration

nivṛttiṃ purato nyasya pratiṣṭhāṃ paścime ghaṭe | vidyāṃ dakṣiṇataḥ śāṃtimuttare madhyataḥ parām

Translation

พึงวาง “นิวฤตติ” ไว้เบื้องหน้า วาง “ประติษฐา” ในหม้อทิศตะวันตก วาง “วิทยา” ทางทิศใต้ วาง “ศานติ” ทางทิศเหนือ และวาง “ปรา” อันสูงสุดไว้ ณ กึ่งกลาง

Word by Word

• निवृत्तिम्: Nivṛtti (name of a śakti/kalā)
• निवृत्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (in front)

• न्यस्य: having placed
• न्यस्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यास (धातु: अस्/न्यस् in usage)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund) from नि-√अस् (to place/lay down) in ritual usage; अव्ययभाव

• प्रतिष्ठाम्: Pratiṣṭhā (establishment; name of a śakti/kalā)
• प्रतिष्ठाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पश्चिमे: in the western (one)
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; घटे विशेषण (in the western)

• घटे: in the pot
• घटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विद्याम्: Vidyā (knowledge; name of a śakti/kalā)
• विद्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दक्षिणतः: to the south
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (from/on the south side)

• शान्तिम्: Śānti (peace; name of a śakti/kalā)
• शान्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तरे: in the northern (one)
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (घटे) अनुवर्तते

• मध्यतः: in the middle
• मध्यतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (in the middle/from the middle side)

• पराम्: Parā (the supreme; name of a śakti/kalā)
• पराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps inner Shaiva realization onto outer ritual space: nivṛtti (turning back from bondage) culminates in Parā at the center, indicating that liberation is realized by centering consciousness in the Supreme Lord (Pati) beyond pasha (bondage).

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

The directional placement and kalaśa-focus support saguna upāsanā (ritual worship) as a doorway to nirguṇa insight—arranging śakti-principles around the worship-seat stabilizes devotion and leads the mind toward the central Supreme reality represented by Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It indicates nyāsa and kalaśa-vidhi with directional placement—while worshiping, one may mentally install nivṛtti, pratiṣṭhā, vidyā, śānti, and Parā in their respective directions and finally concentrate in the center, pairing this with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) for inward steadiness.