Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

तदूर्ध्वं विद्यया मध्ये यावद्विश्वेश्वरावधि । शान्त्या तदूर्ध्वं मध्वान्ते विशुद्धिः शान्त्यतीतया

Transliteration

tadūrdhvaṃ vidyayā madhye yāvadviśveśvarāvadhi | śāntyā tadūrdhvaṃ madhvānte viśuddhiḥ śāntyatītayā

Translation

Darüber, im mittleren Bereich, bis zur Stufe Viśveśvaras (des Herrn des Universums), wird die Vollendung durch vidyā, wahres Wissen, erlangt. Darüber hinaus—am Ende des mittleren Pfades—ist śānti, der Frieden; und jenseits des Friedens, durch śāntyatītā (das Übersteigen selbst des Friedens), entsteht vollkommene viśuddhi: der makellose, auf Śiva ausgerichtete Zustand.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here used adverbially with ऊर्ध्वम् (‘above that’)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards/above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (directional adverb ‘upwards/above’)

• विद्यया: by/through knowledge
• विद्यया: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative singular

• यावत्: up to/until
• यावत्: अवधि (Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (until/as far as)

• विश्वेश्वर: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वर: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘विश्वस्य ईश्वरः’

• अवधि: limit/boundary
• अवधि: अवधि (Limit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; used as limit-marker with यावत् (‘up to the limit’)

• शान्त्या: by peace/tranquillity
• शान्त्या: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adverbial with ऊर्ध्वम्

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• मधु: Madhu (name)/honey
• मधु: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पूर्वपद-रूपेण (as first member)

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative singular ‘at the end’

• विशुद्धिः: purification
• विशुद्धिः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; nominative singular

• शान्ति: peace
• शान्ति: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पूर्वपद-रूपेण (as first member)

• अतीतया: by (the state) beyond
• अतीतया: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental singular feminine ‘by that which is beyond’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The verse uses “Viśveśvara” as a tattvic/adhvan marker (Lord of the universe) rather than narrating a shrine-origin; it can be read devotionally as the Viśvanātha/Viśveśvara epithet of Śiva, famed at Kāśī.

Significance: Darśana of Viśvanātha is traditionally held to grant jñāna and mokṣa; in Siddhānta terms, it signifies ascent from vidyā to śānti and finally to śāntyatītā (orientation to Śiva).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Adhvan-ascent mapping: movement beyond vidyā to śānti and śāntyatītā (trans-peace), implying a supra-cosmic (śiva-oriented) purification.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents an inward ascent: knowledge (vidyā) matures into deep peace (śānti), and finally into a state beyond even tranquility (śāntyatītā), where the soul abides in complete purity (viśuddhi) oriented toward Śiva as Pati (the supreme Lord).

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

Viśveśvara points to Śiva as the universal Lord worshipped in Saguna form (often through the Liṅga); the verse indicates that devotion and contemplation on the Lord culminate in inner purification, preparing the seeker to realize Śiva’s higher, subtler truth beyond ordinary mental calm.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It primarily suggests meditative progression—steady contemplation leading from insight to profound stillness, then to absorption beyond mental peace; in Shaiva practice this is commonly supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined inner worship (mānasa-pūjā).