Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

Śiva’s Freedom from Bondage and His Cosmic Support (शिवस्य अबन्धत्वं तथा सर्वाधिष्ठानत्वम्)

Devanagari script

तस्मादेकाक्षरं देवमाहुरागमपारगाः । वाच्यवाचकयोरैक्यं मन्यमाना मनस्विनः

Transliteration

tasmādekākṣaraṃ devamāhurāgamapāragāḥ | vācyavācakayoraikyaṃ manyamānā manasvinaḥ

Translation

لذلك يعلن الحكماء الذين بلغوا شاطئ الآغامَات البعيد أن الإله ذي المقطع الواحد (شيفا) هو الأسمى، إذ يرون أن المعنى المُعبَّر عنه والصوت المُعبِّر عنه هما في الحقيقة واحد لا اثنان.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• एक-अक्षरम्: one-syllabled
• एक-अक्षरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (एकम् अक्षरम्)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; एकाक्षरम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आगम-पारगाः: those who have mastered the Āgamas
• आगम-पारगाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगम (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आगमानां पारगाः = who have gone to the end of the Āgamas)

• वाच्य-वाचकयोः: of the denoted and the denoter
• वाच्य-वाचकयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + वाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (वाच्यश्च वाचकश्च)

• ऐक्यम्: identity/oneness
• ऐक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मन्यमानाः: thinking/considering
• मन्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-कर्तरि

• मनस्विनः: the wise/strong-minded
• मनस्विनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणरूपेण आगमपारगाः इत्यस्य

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tasmādekākṣaraṃ devamāhurāgamapāragāḥ | vācyavācakayoraikyaṃ manyamānā manasvinaḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agamas

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is realized through mantra as living consciousness: the sacred sound (vācaka) and the divine reality it reveals (vācya) are not separate, so mantra-japa becomes a direct means to approach Pati (Śiva) and transcend pāśa (bondage).

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

Just as the Liṅga is a concrete support for contemplating the formless Lord, the mantra is a sonic support; the verse affirms that the symbol (sound) and the worshipped Lord (meaning) unite in devotion, making Saguna practice a doorway to Nirguna realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Agamic-style mantra-japa with focused contemplation on the mantra’s meaning—treating the sound as Śiva Himself—performed with steady mind, ideally alongside Śiva-pūjā (and, where traditional, with bhasma and rudrākṣa as supports).