Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

द्वारपालान्समभ्यर्च्य भद्रादींश्चतुरःक्रमात् । समुद्रश्च विभद्रश्च सुनंदश्च विनंदकः

Transliteration

dvārapālānsamabhyarcya bhadrādīṃścaturaḥkramāt | samudraśca vibhadraśca sunaṃdaśca vinaṃdakaḥ

Translation

เมื่อบูชาทวารบาลทั้งสี่ตามลำดับ เริ่มด้วยภัทร คือ สมุทร วิภัทร สุนันทะ และวินันทะกะ แล้ว (ผู้บำเพ็ญพิธีจึงดำเนินสู่ขั้นต่อไป)۔

Word by Word

• द्वारपालान्: door-keepers
• द्वारपालान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्वारस्य पालाः)

• समभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्+अभि; (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• भद्रादीन्: Bhadrā and others
• भद्रादीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (भद्र-आदि = ‘Bhadrā and others’)

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भद्रादीन् इति)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् ‘in order/ क्रमशः’

• समुद्रः: Samudra (name)
• समुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• विभद्रः: Vibhadra (name)
• विभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सुनन्दः: Sunanda (name)
• सुनन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• विनन्दकः: Vinandaka (name)
• विनन्दकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनन्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Dvārpāla worship ritually removes obstacles and secures the threshold—symbolizing controlled access from profane to sacred, a key step in loosening pāśa through right approach (upāya).

Mantra Metadata

Type: kavaca

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Samudra
• Vibhadra
• Sunanda
• Vinandaka
• Bhadra

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined devotion: before approaching Pati (Lord Shiva), the devotee honors the sacred order around Him. Reverencing the guardians cultivates humility, purity of intent, and readiness to enter Shiva’s presence.

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

In Saguna worship, Shiva is approached through a complete sacred setting—thresholds, directions, attendants, and the Linga. Honoring the dvārapālas is part of the traditional upacāra framework that prepares the worshipper to focus steadily on Shiva in the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to begin Shiva puja with respectful salutations at the “threshold”: mentally offer reverence to Shiva’s attendants/guardians, then proceed with mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara) and the main Linga worship in a calm, ordered sequence.