Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

शिवसंस्कार-दीक्षानिरूपणम् (Śivasaṃskāra and the Typology of Dīkṣā)

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि सर्वपापविशोधनम् । संस्कारं परमं पुण्यं शिवेन पतिभाषितम्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | hanta te kathayiṣyāmi sarvapāpaviśodhanam | saṃskāraṃ paramaṃ puṇyaṃ śivena patibhāṣitam

Translation

قال أوبامانيو: «هلمّ—سأقصّ عليك السَّمْسْكارا (saṃskāra) الذي يطهّر جميع الآثام؛ شعيرةً عليا عظيمةَ الثواب، نطق بها شيفا نفسه، البَتي (Pati) الربّ والسيد».

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• हन्त: indeed; well then
• हन्त: Sambodhana/Discourse particle (सम्बोधन/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हन्त (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्गार/सम्बोधनार्थक अव्यय (interjection/particle)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथयिष्यामि: I will tell
• कथयिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सर्वपापविशोधनम्: the purifier of all sins
• सर्वपापविशोधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप + विशोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pāpānām viśodhanam)

• संस्कारम्: the rite; consecration
• संस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘संस्कारम्’)

• पुण्यम्: holy; meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘संस्कारम्’)

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• पति-भाषितम्: spoken by the Lord (husband)
• पति-भाषितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘भाषित’; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pateḥ bhāṣitam)

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Promises a sin-purifying saṃskāra ‘spoken by Pati (Śiva) himself’, positioning the rite as a direct channel of Śiva’s grace rather than mere social ritual.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva (Pati) as the ultimate authority on liberation-oriented discipline, introducing a sacred saṃskāra whose purpose is inner and outer purification—removing pāpa and preparing the soul (paśu) for grace and mokṣa.

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

By stressing that the teaching is “spoken by Śiva,” it grounds forthcoming practice in Saguna Śiva’s compassionate instruction; such purifying rites typically culminate in Śiva-upāsanā (often Linga-centered) where devotion and purity support realization of Śiva’s higher nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse signals an upcoming Shaiva saṃskāra/observance aimed at pāpa-śuddhi; in Vāyavīya contexts this commonly aligns with regulated worship, mantra-japa, and purity disciplines that support Śiva-bhakti and yogic steadiness.