Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

गौरीप्रवेशः—शिवसाक्षात्कारः

Gaurī’s Entry and the Vision of Śiva

Devanagari script

आज्ञैकसारमैश्वर्यं यस्मात्स्वातंत्र्यलक्षणम् । आज्ञया विप्रयुक्तस्य चैश्वर्यं मम कीदृशम्

Transliteration

ājñaikasāramaiśvaryaṃ yasmātsvātaṃtryalakṣaṇam | ājñayā viprayuktasya caiśvaryaṃ mama kīdṛśam

Translation

„Das Wesen der Souveränität ist die Befolgung des Befehls, denn wahre Herrschaft ist durch Freiheit gekennzeichnet. Wäre Ich von der Macht des Befehls getrennt — was für eine Souveränität könnte dann die Meine sein?“

Word by Word

• ājñā-eka-sāram: having command as its sole essence
• ājñā-eka-sāram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘aiśvaryaṃ’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular); समास: आज्ञा एव एकः सारः यस्य (determinative)

• aiśvaryaṃ: sovereignty/power
• aiśvaryaṃ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of nominal sentence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular; here subject of nominal clause)

• yasmāt: because/from which
• yasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• svātantrya-lakṣaṇam: characterized by independence
• svātantrya-lakṣaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘aiśvaryaṃ’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svātantrya (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: स्वातन्त्र्यं लक्षणं यस्य (determinative)

• ājñayā: by command
• ājñayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• viprayuktasya: of one separated/deprived (of it)
• viprayuktasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier of ‘mama’ implied ‘me’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi+pra+yuj (धातु) → viprayukta (कृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) अर्थ: ‘वियुक्त’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• aiśvaryaṃ: sovereignty/power
• aiśvaryaṃ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of nominal question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular; here predicate/subject in question)

• mama: my/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• kīdṛśam: what kind of?
• kīdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘aiśvaryaṃ’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण (interrogative adjective)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching on the nature of true sovereignty and independence)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No jyotirliṅga locale; it defines aiśvarya (lordship) as svātantrya expressed as ājñā—governing, sustaining order (sthiti) through command.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse defines real aiśvarya (lordship) as svātantrya—absolute independence expressed as effective ājñā (sovereign will). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Pati (Shiva) alone is fully independent; all other powers are meaningful only when aligned to the Lord’s command.

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

Worship of the Linga trains the devotee to recognize Shiva as the supreme governor (niyantā) whose ājñā sustains the cosmos. Saguna worship becomes a doorway to realizing Shiva’s svātantrya—His unfettered, transcendent lordship beyond all limiting conditions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ājñā-smarana: daily japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with the attitude of surrender to Shiva’s will, combined with steady dhyāna on Shiva as the inner ruler—so one’s actions become aligned with divine command rather than egoic impulse.