Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

कर्णिकाकेशरोपेतमासनं परिकल्पयेत् । विभवे तदभावे तु रक्तं सितमथापि वा

Transliteration

karṇikākeśaropetamāsanaṃ parikalpayet | vibhave tadabhāve tu raktaṃ sitamathāpi vā

Translation

Maghanda ng āsana na may gitnang pusod at mga hiblang nakapaligid, gaya ng lotus. Kung may kakayahan, gamitin ang gayong upuan; kung wala, maaaring gumamit ng pulang āsana, o maging puti rin.

Word by Word

• karṇikā-keśara-upetam: endowed with pericarp and filaments
• karṇikā-keśara-upetam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karṇikā + keśara + upeta (कृदन्त; √i ए/√i? upeta from उप-√i/√et? lexical ‘upeta’ as PPP of upa-√i ‘to go/attain’)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana; समासः (karṇikayā keśaraiś ca upetam) ‘endowed with pericarp and filaments’

• āsanam: seat (āsana)
• āsanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; object of parikalpayet

• parikalpayet: should arrange/prepare
• parikalpayet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kḷp (धातु; कल्प्)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष) Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• vibhave: when resources are available
• vibhave: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी) Ekavacana; ‘in (case of) means/affluence’

• tad-abhāve: in its absence
• tad-abhāve: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + abhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī Ekavacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya abhāve) ‘in its absence’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle/निपात) adversative/emphatic

• raktam: red
• raktam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā Ekavacana; color adjective (elliptic: āsanam)

• sitam: white
• sitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā Ekavacana; alternative color adjective

• atha: or else/then
• atha: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle) sequencing/alternative marker

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle) ‘also/even’ (here with vā: ‘or even’)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (disjunctive particle/विकल्पार्थक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship begins with inner reverence expressed outwardly through order, purity, and appropriateness of the worship-seat; when ideal resources are absent, sincere devotion with simple substitutes remains acceptable.

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

In Saguna worship such as Linga-puja, the āsana is part of proper upacāra (ritual hospitality). The verse emphasizes correct preparation while affirming that the essence is devotion to Shiva rather than luxury.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Arrange an appropriate āsana—ideally lotus-like; otherwise use a clean red or white seat—then proceed with Shiva worship (often alongside mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’).