Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

शक्तितत्त्ववर्णनम् / Exposition of the Principle of Śakti

Devanagari script

वेद्यश्शिवश्शिवा विद्या प्रज्ञा चैव श्रुतिः स्मृतिः । धृतिरेषा स्थितिर्निष्ठा ज्ञानेच्छाकर्मशक्तयः

Transliteration

vedyaśśivaśśivā vidyā prajñā caiva śrutiḥ smṛtiḥ | dhṛtireṣā sthitirniṣṭhā jñānecchākarmaśaktayaḥ

Translation

المعروفُ الواجبُ معرفتُه هو شِيفا؛ والمعرفةُ التي تكشفه هي شِيفا (شِيفَا)، أي قوّتُه المباركة. وكذلك الفهمُ الأعلى، والڤيدا (شروتي) والتقليد (سمريتي)، والثباتُ والاستقرارُ والعزمُ الراسخ، وقوى المعرفة والإرادة والعمل—كلّ ذلك من ذات الطبيعة الشيفية.

Word by Word

• वेद्यः: knowable
• वेद्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद्य (प्रातिपदिक; √विद् (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) शिवस्य

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवा: Śivā (the Goddess)
• शिवा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (देवी/शक्ति)

• विद्या: knowledge, learning
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रज्ञा: wisdom, insight
• प्रज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• श्रुतिः: Śruti, revelation
• श्रुतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतिः: Smṛti, tradition
• स्मृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धृतिः: steadfastness
• धृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एषा: this (f.)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• स्थितिः: stability, continuance
• स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निष्ठा: firm resolve, devotion
• निष्ठा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञान-इच्छा-कर्म-शक्तयः: the powers of knowledge, will, and action
• ज्ञान-इच्छा-कर्म-शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + इच्छा + कर्म + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural); समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as the supreme Reality to be realized and teaches that true knowledge (vidyā), wisdom, scriptural revelation, and inner steadiness are expressions of Śiva-Śakti, guiding the soul (paśu) toward liberation under the Lord (Pati).

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

By affirming that śruti-smṛti and the powers of knowing, willing, and acting are Śiva’s own, it supports Saguna worship—such as Linga-pūjā—as a scripturally grounded means where the devotee offers mind, intention, and action back to Śiva to reach His higher realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to align jñāna–icchā–kriyā through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady dhṛti (constancy), optionally accompanied by vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as supports for unwavering niṣṭhā.