Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया

Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification

Devanagari script

हंसन्यासं प्रकुर्वीत शिवशास्त्रे यथोदितम् । बीजं विभज्य हंसस्य नेत्रयोर्घ्राणयोरपि । विभज्य बाहुनेत्रास्यललाटे घ्राणयोरपि । कक्षयोः स्कन्धयोश्चैव पार्श्वयोस्तनयोस्तथा

Transliteration

haṃsanyāsaṃ prakurvīta śivaśāstre yathoditam | bījaṃ vibhajya haṃsasya netrayorghrāṇayorapi | vibhajya bāhunetrāsyalalāṭe ghrāṇayorapi | kakṣayoḥ skandhayoścaiva pārśvayostanayostathā

Translation

พึงทำ “หังสะ-นยาสะ” ตามที่ศิวศาสตราสอนไว้โดยเคร่งครัด แบ่งพยางค์เมล็ด (บีชะ) แห่ง “หังสะ” แล้ววางที่ดวงตาและรูจมูก ทั้งยังแจกจ่ายวางที่แขน ดวงตา ปาก หน้าผาก และจมูก แล้ววางที่รักแร้ ไหล่ สีข้าง และทรวงอกด้วย।

Word by Word

• haṃsa-nyāsam: the haṃsa-nyāsa
• haṃsa-nyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• prakurvīta: should perform
• prakurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada; with prefix pra-

• śiva-śāstre: in the Śiva scripture
• śiva-śāstre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the Śiva-śāstra’

• yathā-uditam: as stated
• yathā-uditam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + udita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Phrase: yathā (avyaya ‘as’) + uditam (past passive participle of √vad/√ud? here ‘stated’, Neuter Nom/Acc Singular) used adverbially

• bījam: the seed (mantra-syllable)
• bījam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vibhajya: having divided
• vibhajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्) with prefix vi-; ‘having divided’

• haṃsasya: of haṃsa
• haṃsasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• netrayoḥ: in the two eyes
• netrayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• ghrāṇayoḥ: in the two nostrils
• ghrāṇayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

• vibhajya: having divided
• vibhajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्) with prefix vi-

• bāhu-netra-āsya-lalāṭe: in the arms, eyes, mouth and forehead
• bāhu-netra-āsya-lalāṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu + netra + āsya + lalāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva compound; Neuter (collective), Locative (7th), Singular (as a set); components: arms, eyes, mouth/face, forehead

• ghrāṇayoḥ: in the two nostrils
• ghrāṇayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• kakṣayoḥ: in the two armpits
• kakṣayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Dual

• skandhayoḥ: in the two shoulders
• skandhayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Dual

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• pārśvayoḥ: in the two sides
• pārśvayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual

• tanayoḥ: in the two breasts
• tanayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual; tana = breast/chest

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: haṃsa (seed divided for nyāsa)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Haṃsa-nyāsa—sanctifying the body with mantra so the practitioner recognizes the body and breath as instruments of Śiva, turning ordinary sense-centers into purified supports for contemplation and liberation (moksha) in a Shaiva Siddhanta spirit of disciplined worship.

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

Nyāsa prepares the worshipper as a fit vessel for Saguna Śiva-upāsanā (including Liṅga worship) by consecrating limbs and senses; the external liṅga-pūjā is mirrored internally as the body is treated as a sacred seat where Śiva’s presence is invoked through mantra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Haṃsa-nyāsa by dividing the Haṃsa bīja/mantra and touching (placing) it on specified body points—eyes, nostrils, arms, mouth/face, forehead, armpits, shoulders, sides, and breasts—supporting mantra-japa and breath-centered meditation.