Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

एतद्यथोत्तरं कुर्यान्नित्यनैमित्तिकेषु यः । दिव्यं श्रीकंठनाथस्य स्थानमाद्यं स गच्छति

Transliteration

etadyathottaraṃ kuryānnityanaimittikeṣu yaḥ | divyaṃ śrīkaṃṭhanāthasya sthānamādyaṃ sa gacchati

Translation

ผู้ใดปฏิบัติพิธีกรรมทั้งนิตย์และนัยมิตติกะตามลำดับอย่างถูกต้อง ผู้นั้นย่อมบรรลุสถิตสถานทิพย์อันดั้งเดิมของศรีกัณฐนาถะ (พระศิวะ)

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• यथा-उत्तरम्: in proper order, successively
• यथा-उत्तरम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial): ‘in due order/according to sequence’

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• नित्य-नैमित्तिकेषु: in daily and occasional (rites)
• नित्य-नैमित्तिकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नित्येषु च नैमित्तिकेषु च)

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्रीकण्ठनाथस्य: of Śrīkaṇṭhanātha (Śiva)
• श्रीकण्ठनाथस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकण्ठ + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रीकण्ठस्य नाथः)

• स्थानम्: abode/place
• स्थानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आद्यम्: the first/prime
• आद्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थानम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• गच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present Indicative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse teaches that correct performance of nitya/naimittika observances culminates in reaching Śrīkaṇṭha’s primordial divine abode (a soteriological, not geographical, destination).

Significance: Frames daily/occasional dharma as a ladder toward Śiva’s loka; emphasizes disciplined observance (caryā) as preparatory purification leading to higher states.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady adherence to prescribed Shaiva-oriented duties—daily and occasional—purifies the soul (paśu) and leads it toward union with Pati (Shiva), culminating in reaching Shiva’s divine abode.

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

Nitya and naimittika observances commonly include Saguna worship—such as Linga-pūjā, mantra-japa, and purity disciplines—through which devotion and right conduct mature into Shiva’s grace and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow the prescribed order of daily worship (e.g., Shiva mantra-japa like the Panchakshara, simple Linga-archana) and perform occasional rites and vows at their proper times, treating regularity and correctness as the core discipline.