Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

ददर्श च सुरश्रेष्ठः श्रेष्ठे तपसि निष्ठिताम् । प्रतिष्ठामिव विश्वस्य भवानीं परमेश्वरीम्

Transliteration

dadarśa ca suraśreṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhe tapasi niṣṭhitām | pratiṣṭhāmiva viśvasya bhavānīṃ parameśvarīm

Translation

Da erblickte der Vornehmste unter den Göttern Bhavānī, die höchste Göttin, fest gegründet in der erhabensten Askese, gleichsam wie das Fundament und die tragende Stütze des Universums.

Word by Word

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सुरश्रेष्ठः: the best of the gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (surāṇāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ)

• श्रेष्ठे: in the excellent (state)
• श्रेष्ठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• निष्ठिताम्: steadfast/established (in)
• निष्ठिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + स्था (धातु) → निष्ठित (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्गे कर्मणि (seen as object)

• प्रतिष्ठाम्: foundation, support
• प्रतिष्ठाम्: Upamāna/Upameya (उपमा-प्रयोगे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-सूचक (comparative particle)

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• भवानीम्: Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• भवानीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमेश्वरीम्: the Supreme Goddess
• परमेश्वरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (paramā ca sā īśvarī)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse presents Devī as the cosmic pratiṣṭhā (support), a theological trope later mapped onto śakti-pīṭha/kṣetra imagination rather than liṅga-sthala.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Bhavānī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It portrays Bhavānī as unwavering in supreme tapas, indicating that disciplined yoga and devotion purify the pashu (bound soul) and align it with Pati (Śiva), with Śakti as the sustaining power that steadies the cosmos and the seeker.

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

Bhavānī’s tapas is directed toward attaining and serving Śiva; in Saguna worship, devotion expressed through austerity, mantra, and steadfastness becomes a means to approach the Lord symbolized by the Liṅga—Śiva as the stable support (pratiṣṭhā) behind all forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to niṣṭhā (steadfast practice): regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), disciplined vrata/fasting, and meditative tapas with purity—optionally supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids to focus.