Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

लिङ्ग-बेर-प्रतिष्ठाविधिः / The Procedure for Installing the Liṅga and the Bera

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Devanagari script

ते चाष्टमूर्तयः कल्प्याः पूर्वादिपरितः स्थिताः । चत्वारश्चाथ वा दिक्षु स्वध्येतारस्सजापकाः

Transliteration

te cāṣṭamūrtayaḥ kalpyāḥ pūrvādiparitaḥ sthitāḥ | catvāraścātha vā dikṣu svadhyetārassajāpakāḥ

Translation

当如法观想彼八种形相，自东方起，周遍四方而安住。诸方又有四位侍从——诵持吠陀者与修行念诵（japa）者——恒常专注于神圣的反复持诵。

Word by Word

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• aṣṭa-mūrtayaḥ: the eight forms
• aṣṭa-mūrtayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound)

• kalpyāḥ: to be arranged/appointed
• kalpyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kḷp (कॢप्) ; kalpya (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be arranged/appointed)

• pūrva-ādi-paritaḥ: all around, starting from the east
• pūrva-ādi-paritaḥ: Deśa-viśeṣaṇa (देशविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + paritaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; परितः इति अव्ययप्रधानः; ‘पूर्वादि-दिशां परितः’ (around the eastern etc. directions)

• sthitāḥ: situated/placed
• sthitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (स्था) ; sthita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• catvāraḥ: four
• catvāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāri/catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• atha: then/also
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/प्रस्तावार्थक (then/now)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/option)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• dikṣu: in the directions
• dikṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• svadhyetāraḥ: reciters/students of self-study (Vedic reciters)
• svadhyetāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svādhyetṛ (प्रातिपदिक; from √dhyai/√i? here ‘svādhyāya’ + agent -tṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• sa-jāpakāḥ: together with chanters
• sa-jāpakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- (उपसर्ग/सह) + jāpaka (प्रातिपदिक; from √jap ‘जप्’ agent)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘सह जापकाः’ = along with chanters)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a contemplative ritual-vision: Śiva is approached through His Aṣṭamūrti, pervading the cosmos in ordered directions, while svādhyāya and japa purify the bound soul (paśu) and orient it toward Pati (Śiva).

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

The verse supports saguna-upāsanā by prescribing structured contemplation—placing Śiva’s forms around (as a mandalic arrangement). Such visualization naturally complements Liṅga worship, where the Liṅga is the central focus and the surrounding directions are honored through mantra and reverent attendance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Directional contemplation of Śiva’s eight forms along with disciplined japa (e.g., Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and svādhyāya (sacred recitation) as steady daily practice.