Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

व्रतानि सर्वदानानि तपांसि नियमास्तथा । कथितानि पुरा सद्भिर्भावार्थं नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

vratāni sarvadānāni tapāṃsi niyamāstathā | kathitāni purā sadbhirbhāvārthaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Alle Gelübde (vrata), alle Gaben (dāna), Askesen (tapas) und Disziplinen (niyama) wurden einst von den Edlen gelehrt, um den bhāva, die innere hingebungsvolle Gesinnung, zu begründen. Daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Word by Word

• व्रतानि: vows
• व्रतानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्व-दानानि: all donations/charities
• सर्व-दानानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'all kinds of gifts/charities')

• तपांसि: austerities
• तपांसि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नियमाः: observances/restraints
• नियमाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/रीतिवाचक (conjunctive/adverb: 'and so/also')

• कथितानि: have been described
• कथितानि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि भाव (predicate: 'have been stated')

• पुरा: formerly/earlier
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• सद्भिः: by the good (people/sages)
• सद्भिः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'सत्' = good/virtuous persons

• भाव-अर्थम्: the purport of inner feeling (devotional intent)
• भाव-अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म/Object/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'meaning/purport of bhāva')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अत्र: here/in this
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: 'here/in this matter')

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It asserts that external practices—vrata, dāna, tapas, and niyama—are meant to culminate in bhāva, the inward devotional intention that turns action into liberating worship aligned with Pati (Shiva).

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

Linga/Saguna worship is not validated by mere procedure; its efficacy rests on bhāva—reverence, surrender, and purity of intent—through which the devotee’s acts become true upacāra offered to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake vratas or dāna together with niyama and tapas while maintaining steady bhāva—e.g., daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner thread that sanctifies all observances.