Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 72

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

अत्याश्रमोचितज्ञानं पवित्रं पापनाशनम् । वेदांते परमं गुह्यं पुराकल्पप्रचोदितम्

Transliteration

atyāśramocitajñānaṃ pavitraṃ pāpanāśanam | vedāṃte paramaṃ guhyaṃ purākalpapracoditam

Translation

هذه هي المعرفة الأليق بأعلى مراتب السلوك الروحي: طاهرةٌ ومُبيدةٌ للخطايا. وهي التعاليم الأشدّ سرّيةً المقرَّرة في الفيدانتا، وقد أُمر بها منذ دورات الخلق القديمة.

Word by Word

• ati-āśrama-ucita-jñānam: knowledge appropriate to the (highest) āśrama
• ati-āśrama-ucita-jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + ucita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative chain); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (contextually predicate/accusative)

• pavitram: pure
• pavitram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of jñānam)

• pāpa-nāśanam: destroyer of sin
• pāpa-nāśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pāpasya nāśanam); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vedānte: in the Vedānta
• vedānte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• guhyam: secret
• guhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• purā-kalpa-pracoditam: promulgated in ancient times/aeons
• purā-kalpa-pracoditam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purā (अव्यय) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + pra-cud (धातु) + क्त (past passive participle)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (purā-kalpa = ‘former aeon’); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) ‘pracodita’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-continuity: teaching enjoined across cosmic cycles

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises liberating knowledge (jñāna) as supremely pure and sin-destroying, identifying it with the Vedāntic culmination that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati) through inner purification and right understanding.

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

In the Shiva Purana, Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) matures the seeker’s mind; this verse highlights the culmination—Vedāntic, secret insight—by which devotion and discipline ripen into direct realization of Shiva as the highest truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to contemplative Vedāntic inquiry supported by Shaiva sādhana—steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and purity-disciplines like bhasma and Rudrākṣa observance as aids to inner sanctification.