Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

त्वगादिधातवस्सप्त पञ्च प्राणादिवायवः । मनोबुद्धिरहं ख्यातिर्गुणाः प्रकृतिपूरुषौ

Transliteration

tvagādidhātavassapta pañca prāṇādivāyavaḥ | manobuddhirahaṃ khyātirguṇāḥ prakṛtipūruṣau

Translation

السبعةُ من مكوّنات الجسد ابتداءً من الجلد، والأنفاسُ الحيوية الخمسة ابتداءً من البرانا (prāṇa)، والعقلُ والتمييز، وإحساسُ «أنا» (ahaṃkāra) والإدراكُ المعرفي، والـغوناتُ الثلاث، وكذلك براكريتي وبوروشا—هذه هي المبادئ التي تُقيِّد النفسَ الفردية؛ فإذا عُرِفت على حقيقتها توجّه المرء إلى پَتي (Pati) شيفا (Śiva)، المُحرِّرَ المتعالي على القيود.

Word by Word

• tvak-ādi-dhātavaḥ: the bodily constituents beginning with skin
• tvak-ādi-dhātavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvac (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः: त्वगादि (अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘त्वक् आदि येषां ते’) + धातवः (बहुवचन)

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्यावाचक-विशेषण), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural-sense; agrees with धातवः (masc. pl.)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्यावाचक-विशेषण), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural-sense; agrees with वायवः (masc. pl.)

• prāṇa-ādi-vāyavaḥ: the winds beginning with prāṇa (vital airs)
• prāṇa-ādi-vāyavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः: प्राणादि (तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘प्राणः आदि येषां ते’) + वायवः

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• buddhiḥ: intellect
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I / ego-principle (ahaṃkāra)
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aham (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• khyātiḥ: cognition / apprehension
• khyātiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khyāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• guṇāḥ: qualities (guṇas)
• guṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prakṛti-pūruṣau: Prakṛti and Puruṣa
• prakṛti-pūruṣau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + pūruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dual (द्विवचन), Nominative (प्रथमा/1); द्वन्द्व-समासः (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः): प्रकृतिः च पुरुषः च

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It enumerates key tattvas—body-constituents, prāṇas, mind, intellect, ego-cognition, guṇas, Prakṛti and Puruṣa—as the framework of bondage (pāśa); by discerning them, the seeker turns from identification with them toward Śiva as Pati, the giver of liberation.

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

Linga/Saguna worship trains the mind and prāṇa away from egoic identification and toward Śiva; as these inner principles become purified, devotion matures into knowledge that Śiva transcends Prakṛti, guṇas, and the limited ‘I’ sense.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prāṇāyāma with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) and steady dhyāna on Śiva-Linga helps master prāṇa, quiet mind and intellect, and loosen the grip of ahaṅkāra—supporting the Shaiva path to mokṣa.