Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

यथा विकासयत्येव रविः पद्मानि भानुभिः । समं न विकसन्त्येव स्वस्वभावानुरोधतः

Transliteration

yathā vikāsayatyeva raviḥ padmāni bhānubhiḥ | samaṃ na vikasantyeva svasvabhāvānurodhataḥ

Translation

Wie die Sonne mit ihren Strahlen die Lotosblüten erblühen lässt, sie sich jedoch nicht alle gleichermaßen öffnen—gemäß der eigenen Natur eines jeden—so tragen auch Gnade und geistiges Erwachen in den Wesen Frucht entsprechend ihrer jeweiligen Anlage und Eignung.

Word by Word

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction/adverbial correlator (यथार्थे)

• vikāsayati: causes to bloom
• vikāsayati: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√kās (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Eka-vacana (singular); causative sense (णिच्) ‘causes to open’

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• raviḥ: the sun
• raviḥ: Karta (कर्ता/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Eka-vacana (singular)

• padmāni: lotuses
• padmāni: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahu-vacana (plural)

• bhānubhiḥ: by (his) rays
• bhānubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Bahu-vacana (plural)

• samam: equally
• samam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prāya usage; accusative singular neuter used adverbially (समम्)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• vikasanti: they bloom/open
• vikasanti: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√kas (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahu-vacana (plural)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (अवधारण)

• sva-svabhāva-anurodhataḥ: due to conformity with their own nature
• sva-svabhāva-anurodhataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + anurodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): sva+svabhāva (one’s own nature) + anurodha (conformity/accord); Ablative/5th (Pañcamī) singular (अनुरोधतः) used adverbially ‘in accordance with’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Clarifies differential receptivity to grace: like lotuses opening variably to the same sun, souls respond according to adhikāra (fitness) shaped by pāśa and prior saṃskāras; encourages sustained sādhana rather than despair.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Sun)
• Padma (Lotus)

FAQs

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

It teaches that divine illumination is one, like sunlight, but beings respond differently due to their svabhāva (formed by karma, tendencies, and maturity). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Shiva’s grace is constant, yet its manifestation varies according to the soul’s readiness as bonds (pāśa) thin.

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

Linga-worship and Saguna Shiva devotion provide a steady ‘sunlight’ of grace through mantra, pūjā, and contemplation; however, inner opening (blooming) depends on the devotee’s purity, steadiness, and surrender. The verse supports sustained practice rather than judging progress by comparison.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with disciplined daily Shiva-pūjā—optionally with Tripuṇḍra bhasma and Rudrākṣa—so the mind becomes fit to ‘open’ to grace according to its maturation.