Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship

Devanagari script

प्रसिद्धरूपाण्याशासु लोकेशानां क्रमाद्यजेत् । देवं देवीं च संप्रेक्ष्य सर्वावरणदेवताः

Transliteration

prasiddharūpāṇyāśāsu lokeśānāṃ kramādyajet | devaṃ devīṃ ca saṃprekṣya sarvāvaraṇadevatāḥ

Translation

于诸方位，应依次礼敬世间诸主（Lokēśa）之著名形相。并当观念神与女神（湿婆与天女），礼敬一切构成其圣围护（āvaraṇa）的诸护持神众。

Word by Word

• प्रसिद्ध-रूपाणि: well-known forms
• प्रसिद्ध-रूपाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (well-known forms)

• आशासु: in the directions
• आशासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अधिकरण (in the directions/quarters)

• लोकेशानाम्: of the world-lords
• लोकेशानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lords of the worlds)

• क्रमात्: in due order/ क्रमशः
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbially: in order/ क्रमशः)

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

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

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

• संप्रेक्ष्य: having looked at/considered
• संप्रेक्ष्य: Kriya-visheshana (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्रेक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यबन्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having looked/considered)

• सर्व-आवरण-देवताः: all the enclosure-deities
• सर्व-आवरण-देवताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (deities of all enclosures)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes the principle that all āvaraṇa-devatās are worshipped as attendants within Śiva-Śakti’s field; pilgrimage/temple worship gains completeness (pūrṇatā) when inner (Śiva-Śakti) and outer (lokapālas/āyudhas) circles are honored in order.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devi

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not random but ordered: by honoring directional/world-guarding powers and then centering awareness on Śiva-Śakti, the devotee aligns the outer ritual with inner contemplation, making the mind fit for grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā: while the central focus remains Śiva (often as the Liṅga) together with Devī, the devotee also worships the surrounding āvaraṇa-devatās as limbs of the sacred mandala, treating them as subordinate to and fulfilled in Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform sequential worship of the directions/world-guardians and then the āvaraṇa deities, while steadily contemplating Śiva and Devī; this can be accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to keep the mind fixed on the Lord during the rite.