Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution

Devanagari script

निवृत्त्या रुद्रपर्यन्तं स्थितिरण्डस्य शोध्यते । प्रतिष्ठया तदूर्ध्वं तु यावदव्यक्तगोचरम्

Transliteration

nivṛttyā rudraparyantaṃ sthitiraṇḍasya śodhyate | pratiṣṭhayā tadūrdhvaṃ tu yāvadavyaktagocaram

Translation

Durch das Prinzip namens Nivṛtti wird der Zustand des „kosmischen Eies“ (brahmāṇḍa) bis zur Ebene Rudras gereinigt. Und durch das Prinzip namens Pratiṣṭhā wird das darüber Liegende geläutert—bis in den Bereich des Unmanifesten (Avyakta).

Word by Word

• nivṛttyā: by (the path of) Nivṛtti
• nivṛttyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• rudra-paryantam: up to Rudra
• rudra-paryantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + paryanta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘up to Rudra’

• sthitiḥ: the state/plane (Sthiti)
• sthitiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṇḍasya: of the cosmic egg
• aṇḍasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• śodhyate: is purified
• śodhyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śudh (शुध्/धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• pratiṣṭhayā: by (the path of) Pratiṣṭhā
• pratiṣṭhayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat-ūrdhvam: above that
• tat-ūrdhvam: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया): ‘above that’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/अन्वयबोधक)

• yāvat: up to/as far as
• yāvat: Avadhi (अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Limitative indeclinable (परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक)

• avyakta-gocaram: having the Unmanifest as its sphere
• avyakta-gocaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘having the unmanifest as its range’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: purification of brahmāṇḍa strata: up to Rudra via Nivṛtti; beyond via Pratiṣṭhā toward Avyakta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

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

It maps inner purification as an ascent: through Nivṛtti (withdrawal from bondage) one becomes fit up to Rudra-tattva, and through Pratiṣṭhā (stable establishment in the higher ground) one reaches toward the Avyakta, indicating progressive refinement from manifested limitation to subtler, transcendent awareness under Shiva’s grace.

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee in both devotion and interiorization: Nivṛtti corresponds to turning the mind away from worldly pasha (bondage), while Pratiṣṭhā corresponds to firmly establishing consciousness in Shiva (Pati) through steady worship—so Saguna practice becomes a ladder toward subtler realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with pratyāhāra-like withdrawal (nivṛtti) and daily worship with disciplined steadiness (pratiṣṭhā); applying bhasma and Rudraksha can support this as Shaiva aids to remembrance and restraint.