Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सर्वाननशिरोग्रीवः सर्वभूतगुहाशयः । सर्वव्यापी च भगवांस्तस्मात्सर्वगतश्शिवः

Transliteration

sarvānanaśirogrīvaḥ sarvabhūtaguhāśayaḥ | sarvavyāpī ca bhagavāṃstasmātsarvagataśśivaḥ

Translation

له كلُّ الوجوه، وكلُّ الرؤوس، وكلُّ الأعناق؛ ويسكن في الكهف السريّ الباطن في كل كائن. الربُّ المبارك شاملٌ لكل شيء؛ لذلك يُدعى شِيفا «الذي يمضي إلى كل مكان»، حاضرًا في كل موضع.

Word by Word

• सर्वाननशिरोग्रीवः: (He) whose faces, heads and necks are all (i.e., manifold)
• सर्वाननशिरोग्रीवः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आनन + शिरस् + ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (one whose faces, heads, and necks are all/everywhere; epithet)

• सर्वभूतगुहाशयः: dwelling in the hearts of all beings
• सर्वभूतगुहाशयः: Karta (कर्ता/subject; appositional epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + गुहा + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (one who dwells in the cave/heart of all beings)

• सर्वव्यापी: all-pervading
• सर्वव्यापी: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (sarva-vyāpī = all-pervading)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause-therefore)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभूत-निपात (indeclinable in sense ‘therefore/from that’); historically ablative singular used adverbially

• सर्वगतः: all-pervading/omnipresent
• सर्वगतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (sarva-gata = gone everywhere, omnipresent)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A doctrinal ‘viśvarūpa’ description: Śiva as indweller of the heart-cave (guhā) of all beings. In kṣetra traditions, this underwrites the idea that the jyotirliṅga is not merely local but the doorway to the indwelling Lord.

Significance: Encourages internal pilgrimage (antar-yātrā): seeing the same Śiva in one’s own heart and in all beings, cultivating ahiṃsā and universal reverence.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: sarvānanaśirogrīvaḥ sarvabhūtaguhāśayaḥ | sarvavyāpī ca bhagavāṃs tasmāt sarvagataś śivaḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as the omnipresent Pati: He is not confined to one shrine or form but dwells in the “heart-cave” of every being. This supports Shaiva Siddhanta contemplation—recognizing the Lord as immanent and transcendent, the inner ruler who grants liberation when the bonds (pāśa) are removed by grace.

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

Linga-worship gives a sacred focal point for Saguna devotion, yet the verse teaches that the same Śiva is sarvavyāpī—present within all. The Linga becomes a doorway: by honoring the visible symbol, the devotee learns to perceive the formless, all-pervading Lord who abides in every heart.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is heart-centered japa and dhyāna: repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Śiva seated in the guhā (inner cave) of the heart as the all-pervading consciousness. This aligns outer worship (Linga, bhasma, rudrākṣa) with inner realization of His omnipresence.