Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

सूक्ष्मा चिन्तामयी प्रोक्ता चिंतया रहिता परा । या शक्तिः सा परा शक्तिश्शिवतत्त्वसमाश्रया

Transliteration

sūkṣmā cintāmayī proktā ciṃtayā rahitā parā | yā śaktiḥ sā parā śaktiśśivatattvasamāśrayā

Translation

Sie wird als subtil und von der Natur des Gewahrseins (cintā) verkündet; doch in ihrer höchsten Wirklichkeit ist sie jenseits aller Gedankenkonstrukte. Diese Kraft ist die Höchste Kraft, die im Prinzip Śivas (Śiva-tattva) weilt und darauf ruht.

Word by Word

• sūkṣmā: subtle
• sūkṣmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; subject/topic

• cintā-mayī: consisting of thought
• cintā-mayī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa adjective qualifying sūkṣmā (vibhūtiḥ implied)

• proktā: is declared/called
• proktā: Karma (कर्म) / Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (प्र√वच्, धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative with sūkṣmā

• cintayā: by/with thought
• cintayā: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; instrumental

• rahitā: devoid (of)
• rahitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; adjective qualifying parā

• parā: supreme
• parā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject/topic (supreme)

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to śaktiḥ

• śaktiḥ: power, Śakti
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sā: that
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; correlative pronoun

• parā: supreme
• parā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; adjective qualifying śaktiḥ

• śaktiḥ: Śakti
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; in apposition to sā

• śiva-tattva-samāśrayā: resting on the principle of Śiva
• śiva-tattva-samāśrayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + samāśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa adjective qualifying śaktiḥ; ‘having resort to/depending on’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Tārā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It defines the highest Śakti as subtle consciousness while affirming her transcendence beyond ordinary mental activity, pointing the seeker toward realization of Śiva-tattva as the ultimate ground of liberation.

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

In Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā), the devotee approaches Śiva through form; this verse clarifies that the inner truth of that worship culminates in Śiva-tattva, where Śakti is realized as supreme and beyond conceptual thought.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A contemplative practice is implied: steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with inward absorption, letting go of discursive thinking to rest awareness in Śiva-tattva.