Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55

द्वितीयतृतीयावरणपूजाक्रमः | The Sequence of the Second and Third Enclosure Worship (Āvaraṇa-pūjā)

Devanagari script

समभ्यर्च्योत्तरे पार्श्वे ततो वैकुंठमर्चयेत् । वासुदेवं पुरस्कृत्वा प्रथमावरणे यजेत्

Transliteration

samabhyarcyottare pārśve tato vaikuṃṭhamarcayet | vāsudevaṃ puraskṛtvā prathamāvaraṇe yajet

Translation

在北方一侧如法礼拜之后，应继而礼敬毗昆陀（Vaikuṇṭha）。以婆苏提婆（Vāsudeva）居首位，于第一重坛域（āvaraṇa）中行供养。

Word by Word

• सम्: together/fully (prefix)
• सम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग (prefix)

• अभि: towards (prefix)
• अभि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग (prefix)

• अर्च्य: having worshipped / to be worshipped (worship)
• अर्च्य: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + य (क्तव्य/ण्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त; अर्चनीय/पूजनीय (gerundive); प्रथमा एकवचनं नपुंसकलिङ्गे (used adverbially/absolutively in instruction)

• उत्तरे: on the northern
• उत्तरे: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘पार्श्वे’ के साथ

• पार्श्वे: side
• पार्श्वे: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence)

• वैकुण्ठम्: Vaikuṇṭha (Viṣṇu)
• वैकुण्ठम्: कर्म (कर्म/Accusative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: कर्म (कर्म/Accusative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद/क्रियाविशेषण ‘in front’ (preverbial element)

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having done/made’

• प्रथम: first
• प्रथम: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘आवरणे’ के साथ

• आवरणे: enclosure/circle (āvaraṇa)
• आवरणे: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• यजेत्: should worship/perform sacrifice
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Vaikuntha

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not random but follows a sacred order (krama): honoring directions, enclosures (āvaraṇas), and principal forms, so the mind becomes steady and reverential—fit for Shaiva realization of Pati (the Lord) beyond bonds.

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

Āvaraṇa worship is a Saguna method: by approaching the divine through ordered forms and stations, the devotee’s attention is gathered and purified, supporting deeper Linga-centered contemplation where Shiva is realized as both immanent (Saguna) and transcendent (Nirguna).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform āvaraṇa-krama in pūjā: begin from the prescribed side (north here), then worship the Vaikuṇṭha-form, placing Vāsudeva foremost in the first enclosure—while maintaining mantra-japa and focused dhyāna on the Lord’s presence.