Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

स्वबीजानन्तरं वाच्या स्वाहांतञ्च यथाक्रमम् । जिह्वामंत्रैस्तु तैर्हुत्वाज्यं जिह्वास्त्वेकैकश क्रमात्

Transliteration

svabījānantaraṃ vācyā svāhāṃtañca yathākramam | jihvāmaṃtraistu tairhutvājyaṃ jihvāstvekaikaśa kramāt

Translation

เมื่อเปล่งพยางค์บีชะ (bīja) แต่ละบทแล้ว พึงสวดมนต์ที่ลงท้ายด้วย “สวาหา (svāhā)” ตามลำดับให้ถูกต้อง แล้วใช้ “มนต์ชิหวา (jihvā-mantra)” นั้นถวายเนยใสลงในไฟ พร้อมอัญเชิญลิ้นทิพย์ของพระอัคนีทีละลิ้นตามลำดับ.

Word by Word

• स्वबीजानन्तरम्: immediately after (each) own seed-syllable
• स्वबीजानन्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + बीज + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/क्रियाविशेषणार्थ), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य बीजानाम् अनन्तरम् = ‘immediately after one’s own seed-syllable’)

• वाच्या: should be uttered
• वाच्या: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be uttered)

• स्वाहान्तम्: ending with ‘svāhā’
• स्वाहान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाहा + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वाहायाः अन्तः यस्य = ‘ending with svāhā’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यथाक्रमम्: in due order
• यथाक्रमम्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘in proper order’)

• जिह्वामन्त्रैः: with the tongue-mantras
• जिह्वामन्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जिह्वानां मन्त्राः)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधसूचक (particle: ‘indeed/but’)

• तैः: with those (mantras)
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हुत्वा: having offered
• हुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having offered (into fire)’

• आज्यम्: ghee (clarified butter)
• आज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जिह्वाः: the tongues/flames
• जिह्वाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle)

• एकैकशः: one by one
• एकैकशः: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक + एक + शस् (अव्यय-निर्माण)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/अव्यय; वितरणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (distributive adverb: ‘one by one’)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतौ), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे ‘in order/stepwise’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (procedure indicated) [bīja] + … + svāhā (yathākramam)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni

FAQs

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

It frames mantra as ordered, conscious offering: the bīja and “svāhā” seal the act of surrender, turning ritual fire into an inner discipline that purifies the bonds (pāśa) and orients the soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Though describing homa, it supports Saguna worship by prescribing precise mantra-oblation practice as a devotional service (upacāra) that culminates in Shiva’s grace—often paired with Linga-pūjā as an outward form of the same inner offering.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential ghee-offering (ājya-homa) using bīja-mantras ending in “svāhā,” invoking Agni’s tongues one by one—emphasizing correct order, pronunciation, and focused intention during mantra-recitation.