Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels

Devanagari script

कल्पयेदासनं पश्चादाधारादि यथाक्रमम् । आधारशक्तिं कल्याणीं श्यामां ध्यायेदधो भुवि

Transliteration

kalpayedāsanaṃ paścādādhārādi yathākramam | ādhāraśaktiṃ kalyāṇīṃ śyāmāṃ dhyāyedadho bhuvi

Translation

其后，当于心中安置仪式之座，并依次观想诸支撑，从阿陀罗（Ādhāra）起。于下方大地之上，应观想吉祥的阿陀罗·夏克蒂（Ādhāra-Śakti）——色相幽暗而慈惠——为一切之根本力。

Word by Word

• कल्पयेत्: should arrange/construct
• कल्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप्/कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आसनम्: seat/posture
• आसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• आधार-आदि: the (items) beginning with the support (ādhāra)
• आधार-आदि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘आधारः आदिः यस्य तत्’ (beginning with the support)

• यथा-क्रमम्: in due order
• यथा-क्रमम्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘क्रमानुसारम्’

• आधार-शक्तिम्: the supporting power (Ādhāra-śakti)
• आधार-शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘आधारस्य शक्तिः’

• कल्याणीम्: auspicious
• कल्याणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of ‘शक्तिम्’

• श्यामाम्: dark/blue-hued
• श्यामाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of ‘शक्तिम्’

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate upon
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अधः: below
• अधः: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (spatial adverb)

• भुवि: on the earth/ground
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed meditative/ritual sequence as taught in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship begins with inner order: establish the āsana and contemplate the foundational Ādhāra-Śakti, acknowledging that all sādhana rests on Śiva’s sustaining power (Śakti) before approaching the higher tattvas and the Lord.

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

In Saguna worship, the Linga is installed within a complete meditative framework; this verse gives the preliminary visualization—placing the seat and grounding the rite in Ādhāra-Śakti—so the Linga-pūjā proceeds with stability, purity, and correct tattva-krama.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A step-by-step dhyāna: mentally prepare the worship-seat (āsana) and then meditate on Ādhāra-Śakti below on the earth as the base support, before continuing to the subsequent supports in the prescribed order.