Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

वरुणं वारुणे भागे धनदं चोत्तरे बुधः । ईशमैशे ऽनलं स्वीये नैरृते निरृतिं यजेत्

Transliteration

varuṇaṃ vāruṇe bhāge dhanadaṃ cottare budhaḥ | īśamaiśe 'nalaṃ svīye nairṛte nirṛtiṃ yajet

Translation

智者于西方礼敬伐楼那，于北方礼敬财主（俱毗罗）。于东北方礼敬伊沙（湿婆）；于自身所当之方礼敬阿那罗（阿耆尼）；于西南方礼敬尼利提。

Word by Word

• वरुणम्: Varuṇa
• वरुणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• वारुणे: in the Varuṇa (western) region
• वारुणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; अधिकरण (in Varuṇa’s quarter)

• भागे: in the portion/sector
• भागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• धनदम्: Dhanada (Kubera)
• धनदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• उत्तरे: in the northern (quarter)
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the north)

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता (agent/performer implied)

• ईशम्: Īśa (Śiva as lord)
• ईशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• ऐशे: in the Īśa (north-east) region
• ऐशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; अधिकरण (in Īśa’s quarter)

• अनलम्: Anala (Agni/fire)
• अनलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• स्वीये: in (his/its) own (quarter)
• स्वीये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; अधिकरण (in one’s own/its own)

• नैरृते: in the south-west (quarter)
• नैरृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (south-west)

• निरृतिम्: Nirṛti
• निरृतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Varuna
• Kubera
• Agni
• Nirrti
• Isha

FAQs

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

It teaches orderly, direction-wise propitiation of cosmic powers, culminating in honoring Īśa (Śiva) in the north-east—signifying that all guardianship and auspiciousness ultimately rest in the Lord (Pati) who governs and purifies the world.

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

By placing Īśa in the aiśānya (north-east) quarter, it mirrors Shaiva temple and Linga-worship conventions where the sanctified space is ritually protected by directional deities while the central focus remains Saguna Śiva as Īśa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dikpāla-nyāsa or direction-wise offering before Śiva-pūjā: mentally or ritually honor the deities of the quarters, then proceed to Śiva worship with mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to establish protection and steadiness of mind.