Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

यथाशोभं प्रकुर्वीत श्लक्ष्णमिष्टं मृदा स्थिरम् । अश्वत्थपत्रवद्योनिं गजाधारवदेव वा

Transliteration

yathāśobhaṃ prakurvīta ślakṣṇamiṣṭaṃ mṛdā sthiram | aśvatthapatravadyoniṃ gajādhāravadeva vā

Translation

应当依其相称之美而塑作，使之光滑、悦意、坚固，以沉淀妥当之泥土为材；其底座（yoni-pīṭha）或作如阿湿瓦塔树叶之形，或作如象之承座之形。

Word by Word

• यथा-शोभम्: as is fittingly beautiful
• यथा-शोभम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: 'according to beauty/appropriately')

• प्रकुर्वीत: should make/prepare
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः प्र-

• श्लक्ष्णम्: smooth
• श्लक्ष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• इष्टम्: desired/pleasing
• इष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मृदा: with clay/earth
• मृदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• स्थिरम्: firm/stable
• स्थिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अश्वत्थपत्रवत्: like an aśvattha leaf
• अश्वत्थपत्रवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (like ...); समासः: अश्वत्थस्य पत्रम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + वत्

• योनिम्: yoni/base/womb-shaped part
• योनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• गजाधारवत्: like an elephant-stand/support
• गजाधारवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (like ...); समासः: गजस्य आधारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + वत्

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/just)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Saguna worship of Shiva should be done with beauty, steadiness, and purity—outer correctness (a smooth, stable form) supporting inner devotion and reverence to Pati (Shiva).

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

It gives practical guidance for shaping the liṅga’s base (yoni-pīṭha), indicating that proper form and stability are part of honoring Shiva’s manifest symbol while contemplating his transcendent (nirguṇa) reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A ritual takeaway is careful preparation of the liṅga setup (smooth, firm, well-made clay base) before abhiṣeka and mantra-japa—commonly with the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” during Shiva-pūjā.