Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

निरिंद्रियं परे प्राहुः सेंद्रियं च तथापरे । ध्रुवमित्यपरे प्राहुस्तमध्रुवामितीरते

Transliteration

niriṃdriyaṃ pare prāhuḥ seṃdriyaṃ ca tathāpare | dhruvamityapare prāhustamadhruvāmitīrate

Translation

يعلن بعضهم أنه بلا حواس (نيريندريا)، ويقول آخرون إنه ذو حواس (سيندريا). ويعلن قوم أنه ثابت غير متبدّل (دھروفا)، بينما يصفه آخرون بأنه غير مُقيَّد بثبات؛ وهكذا يُتحدَّث عن الأسمى بطرائق شتّى.

Word by Word

• निरिन्द्रियम्: without senses
• निरिन्द्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निर्गतम् इन्द्रियम् यस्मात्/यत्र); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्राहुः: said; call
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सेन्द्रियम्: with senses
• सेन्द्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सहितम् इन्द्रियैः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• अपरे: others (some)
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ध्रुवम्: fixed; permanent
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्राहुः: said; call
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular pronoun)

• अध्रुवाम्: impermanent; unstable
• अध्रुवाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्रुवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग (Accusative singular feminine)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसूचक

• ईरते: is said; is spoken of
• ईरते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive/impersonal sense: ‘is said/uttered’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: mahāpralaya (implied by dhruva/adhruva contrast—unchanging ground amid cosmic change)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, the Supreme Pati, transcends ordinary categories: He is beyond sense-based limitation (nirindriya) yet can function through divine faculties (sendriya) for grace. Apparent contradictions point to His transcendence over language and conceptual thought.

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

The verse supports both approaches: nirguna contemplation of Shiva beyond form, and saguna worship where Shiva is approached through the Linga and divine attributes for devotion and liberation. The Linga becomes a compassionate, graspable focus for the mind, without denying Shiva’s attributeless transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a twofold practice: meditate on Shiva as beyond qualities (silent inner absorption), while also performing mantra-japa—especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with Linga worship, aligning devotion with contemplative insight.