Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 50

मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः

Mantra Efficacy, Removal of Obstacles, and the Role of Faith/Discipline

Devanagari script

रक्तसर्षपसंमिश्रैर्होमद्रव्यैरशेषतः । हस्तयंत्रोद्भवैस्तैलैर्जुहुयादाभिचारिके

Transliteration

raktasarṣapasaṃmiśrairhomadravyairaśeṣataḥ | hastayaṃtrodbhavaistailairjuhuyādābhicārike

Translation

于阿毗遮利迦(ābhicārika，降伏或害咒)之仪，应以掺入红芥子之供品尽行火供，并将手压所榨之油投入火中为供。

Word by Word

• rakta-sarṣapa-saṃmiśraiḥ: mixed with red mustard
• rakta-sarṣapa-saṃmiśraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta + sarṣapa + saṃmiśra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying homadravyaiḥ

• homa-dravyaiḥ: with oblation materials
• homa-dravyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa + dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• aśeṣataḥ: entirely/without remainder
• aśeṣataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• hasta-yantra-udbhavaiḥ: produced by a hand-press/device
• hasta-yantra-udbhavaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasta + yantra + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying tailaiḥ

• tailaiḥ: with oils
• tailaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• juhuyāt: should offer (into fire)
• juhuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hu (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ābhicārike: in a sorcery/abhicāra rite
• ābhicārike: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ābhicārika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in the (rite) of abhichāra’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It records a technical ritual detail: specific substances are prescribed for an ābhicārika (coercive/malevolent) homa, showing that the Purana catalogues ritual methods while Shaiva Siddhanta ultimately places liberation in Shiva’s grace, purity of intent, and right knowledge—not in harmful rites.

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

As a Shaiva text, the ritual acts are understood as performed within the sphere of Saguna Shiva’s order (dharma and mantra-śāstra). Yet Linga-worship is ideally for purification and devotion; this verse instead describes a specialized, lower-intent application of fire-offering materials.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A specific homa procedure is indicated: oblations using homa materials mixed with red mustard and hand-pressed oil. For sāttvika Shaiva practice, the constructive takeaway is to prefer purificatory worship—Pañcākṣara japa, bhasma (tripuṇḍra), and Rudrākṣa—over coercive rites.