Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 71

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

गृहस्थो भार्यया सार्धं तदन्ये ऽपि तु केवलाः । प्रत्यूषसमयं बुद्ध्वा मात्रामाद्यामुदीरयेत्

Transliteration

gṛhastho bhāryayā sārdhaṃ tadanye 'pi tu kevalāḥ | pratyūṣasamayaṃ buddhvā mātrāmādyāmudīrayet

Translation

คฤหัสถ์พร้อมภรรยา และผู้อื่นก็แต่ละคน เมื่อรู้เวลาอรุณรุ่งแล้ว พึงเปล่ง “โอม” อันเป็นมาตราแรก เพื่อเริ่มการบูชา

Word by Word

• gṛhasthaḥ: householder
• gṛhasthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhastha (गृहस्थ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhāryayā: with (his) wife
• bhāryayā: Sahakari (सहकारी/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (भार्या) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb/preposition: together with)

• tad-anye: others (besides him)
• tad-anye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + anya (अन्य) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निर्धारण: ‘others than that/others’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• tu: but; however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: तु—अव्यय (adversative/contrast particle)

• kevalāḥ: alone; only
• kevalāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of tad-anye)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (केवल) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pratyūṣa-samayam: the time of dawn
• pratyūṣa-samayam: Karma (कर्म/Object of buddhvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyūṣa (प्रत्युष) (प्रातिपदिक) + samaya (समय) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-भाव: ‘time of dawn’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• buddhvā: having understood
• buddhvā: Kriya (क्रिया/Non-finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √budh (बुध्) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having known/realized)

• mātrām: a mātrā (measure/syllabic unit)
• mātrām: Karma (कर्म/Object of udīrayet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātrā (मात्रा) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ādyām: the first; initial
• ādyām: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of mātrām)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (आद्य) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• udīrayet: should utter/recite
• udīrayet: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ud-īr (उद्+ईर्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रेरणार्थ/उच्चारणार्थ (to utter/recite)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: Oṃ

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

FAQs

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

It emphasizes brahma-muhūrta (dawn) as a sattvic time for beginning Shaiva practice, starting with the primal sound “Oṃ,” which steadies the mind and turns the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) through disciplined remembrance.

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

By prescribing “Oṃ” as the opening utterance, it frames Linga worship as mantra-led devotion: the sound-current initiates the rite, after which one may proceed to Saguna Shiva worship—such as offering to the Linga—anchored in inner recollection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wake at dawn and begin japa by first chanting “Oṃ” (the ādyā mātrā), then continue with Shaiva mantra practice (commonly the Panchakshara, “Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya”) as part of daily worship.