Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

कृत्वा शिरसि तत्पात्रं दद्यादर्घ्यं शिवाय तत् । अथवांजलिना तोयं सदर्भं मूलविद्यया

Transliteration

kṛtvā śirasi tatpātraṃ dadyādarghyaṃ śivāya tat | athavāṃjalinā toyaṃ sadarbhaṃ mūlavidyayā

Translation

ยกภาชนะนั้นไว้เหนือศีรษะด้วยความเคารพ แล้วถวายอัรฆยะนั้นแด่พระศิวะ; หรือใช้อัญชลีรองน้ำ พร้อมหญ้าทรรภะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ทำให้บริสุทธิ์ด้วยมูลมนตร์แล้วถวาย.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done/placed
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुषङ्ग)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); ‘having done/placed’

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular

• तत्पात्रम्: that vessel (its vessel)
• तत्पात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य पात्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• दद्यात्: should offer/give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should give’

• अर्घ्यम्: arghya (ritual offering)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; dative singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; pronoun ‘that’ referring to arghya

• अथवा: or alternatively
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय; ‘or else/alternatively’

• अञ्जलिना: with joined palms (as a cup)
• अञ्जलिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• सदर्भम्: together with darbha grass
• सदर्भम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + स- (उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular; ‘with darbha’ qualifying तोयम्

• मूलविद्यया: by the root-mantra (mūla-vidyā)
• मूलविद्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (मूला विद्या / मूलस्य विद्या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Arghya-offering signifies self-surrender (ātma-samarpaṇa) and honoring the Pati; the option of añjali-toya underscores accessibility of Śiva’s grace beyond material capacity.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (mūla-vidyā implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a simple water-offering becomes spiritually potent when done with reverence (placing the vessel to the head) and mantra—devotion and right intention are central to Śiva’s worship.

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

Arghya and water are standard upacāras in saguna worship, commonly offered to the Śiva-liṅga; the verse emphasizes correct ritual attitude and mantra as the bridge from outer offering to inner communion with Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer arghya (or water in cupped hands) with darbha, while reciting the mūla-mantra—commonly understood in Shaiva practice as the pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to consecrate the offering.