Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

नाभौ चाष्टाहुतीर्हुत्वा पूर्णाहुत्या नमस्ततः । अष्टपुष्पप्रदानेन कृत्वाभ्यर्चनमंतिमम्

Transliteration

nābhau cāṣṭāhutīrhutvā pūrṇāhutyā namastataḥ | aṣṭapuṣpapradānena kṛtvābhyarcanamaṃtimam

Translation

Sau khi dâng tám lễ hiến vào nơi rốn (làm đàn tế nội tâm), rồi với lễ hiến viên mãn cuối cùng mà cúi đầu đảnh lễ, hành giả nên hoàn tất sự thờ phụng tối hậu bằng cách dâng tám đóa hoa—như ấn chứng nghi lễ tôn thờ Đức Śiva.

Word by Word

• नाभौ: in the navel (region)
• नाभौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय/अन्वय)

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण), Indeclinable-like in compound usage; qualifying ‘आहुतयः’

• आहुतिः: oblations
• आहुतिः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• हुत्वा: having offered
• हुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाले)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), ‘having offered’

• पूर्ण: complete
• पूर्ण: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ‘आहुत्या’

• आहुत्या: with an oblation
• आहुत्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक/निपात)
• Form: Particle of salutation (नमस्कारार्थक-अव्यय)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय) meaning ‘then/thereafter’

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण); qualifying ‘पुष्प’ in compound sense

• पुष्प: of flowers
• पुष्प: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन) as first member in compound

• प्रदानेन: by the offering (of eight flowers)
• प्रदानेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: अष्टपुष्पप्रदान = ‘offering of eight flowers’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाले)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having done’

• अभ्यर्चनम्: worship
• अभ्यर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अन्तिमम्: final
• अन्तिमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ‘अभ्यर्चनम्’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is both ritual and inward: the “navel” functions as an inner altar, and the structured offerings culminate in a complete surrender (namas) that seals devotion and steadies the mind toward Śiva, the Pati.

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

The sequence mirrors Linga-pūjā’s completion rites (final oblation and flower offering), while also pointing to Saguna worship internalized through yogic concentration—seeing Śiva’s presence both in the icon/linga and within the subtle centers.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer a measured set of oblations (symbolically eight) with a concluding pūrṇāhuti, then complete worship with eight flowers—paired with a final namas; meditative takeaway: focus awareness at the navel-center while repeating Śiva-mantra (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī).