Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

ध्यानप्रकारनिर्णयः / Determination of the Modes of Meditation

on Śrīkaṇṭha-Śiva

Devanagari script

भिक्षामात्रप्रदानेन तत्फलं शिवयोगिने । यज्ञाग्निहोत्रदानेन तीर्थहोमेषु यत्फलम्

Transliteration

bhikṣāmātrapradānena tatphalaṃ śivayogine | yajñāgnihotradānena tīrthahomeṣu yatphalam

Translation

بإعطاء قِسْمٍ يسيرٍ من الصدقة ليوغيٍّ مكرَّسٍ ليوغا شيفا، ينال المرءُ نفس الثواب الذي يُنال بتقديم العطايا للقرابين وطقوس الأَغْنِيهوترا، وبإقامة الهَوما في التيِرثا، مواطن الحجّ المقدّسة.

Word by Word

• भिक्षामात्रप्रदानेन: by the giving of mere alms
• भिक्षामात्रप्रदानेन: करण (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा-मात्र-प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental) एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः: भिक्षा + मात्र (केवल) + प्रदान (दान)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणरूपेण (qualifying फलम्)

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: विधेय (Predicate/result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• शिवयोगिने: for the Śiva-yogin
• शिवयोगिने: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/Dative) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य योगी)

• यज्ञाग्निहोत्रदानेन: by giving (in) sacrifices and agnihotra offerings
• यज्ञाग्निहोत्रदानेन: करण (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-अग्निहोत्र-दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental) एकवचनम्; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (यज्ञः च अग्निहोत्रं च—तयोः दानम्)

• तीर्थहोमेषु: in sacred-place oblations
• तीर्थहोमेषु: अधिकरण (Location/context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative) बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थेषु होमाः)

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative marker/यद्-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचक (that which)

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: विधेय (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that humble charity offered to a Śiva-centered yogin carries immense spiritual merit—comparable to major Vedic sacrifices—because serving those established in Śiva is itself a form of Śiva-worship.

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

In Saguna Śiva devotion, honoring Śiva’s presence in His devotees is aligned with Linga-worship: the devotee becomes a living field of worship, and offering support to such a yogin is treated as an offering to Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dāna with reverence—especially feeding or supporting Śiva-devotees and yogins—alongside regular Shaiva disciplines such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and daily worship.