Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

विद्यायान्तु यथा रौद्राः प्रतिष्ठायां तु वैष्णवाः । निवृत्तौ च तथात्मानो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मांगयोनयः

Transliteration

vidyāyāntu yathā raudrāḥ pratiṣṭhāyāṃ tu vaiṣṇavāḥ | nivṛttau ca tathātmāno brahmā brahmāṃgayonayaḥ

Translation

Im Bereich des heiligen Wissens (vidyā) herrschen die raudrischen Rudra-Prinzipien; im Feld der Festigung und Stützung (pratiṣṭhā) überwiegen die vaiṣṇavischen Kräfte. Auf dem Pfad des Rückzugs und der Auflösung (nivṛtti) verweilen die Selbstverwirklichten; und im schöpferischen Prinzip steht Brahmā — jene, die aus den Gliedern Brahmās hervorgehen.

Word by Word

• vidyāyām: in (the level of) knowledge
• vidyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (विद्या प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• yathā: as/just as
• yathā: Upamāna-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (comparative/illustrative: 'as')

• raudrāḥ: the Raudras
• raudrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raudra (रौद्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• pratiṣṭhāyām: in (the level of) establishment
• pratiṣṭhāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiṣṭhā (प्रतिष्ठा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• vaiṣṇavāḥ: the Vaiṣṇavas
• vaiṣṇavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (वैष्णव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• nivṛttau: in (the level of) cessation/withdrawal
• nivṛttau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivṛtti (निवृत्ति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'likewise')

• ātmānaḥ: the selves/Ātmans
• ātmānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahma-aṅga-yonayaḥ: those whose origin is from Brahmā’s limbs
• brahma-aṅga-yonayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + aṅga + yoni (ब्रह्माङ्गयोनि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ब्रह्मणः अङ्गानि/अङ्गात्; तेषां योनयः = उत्पत्तयः/स्रोतांसि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It classifies cosmic and spiritual functions: Rudra aligns with transformative knowledge (vidyā), Viṣṇu with sustaining establishment (pratiṣṭhā), and nivṛtti with inward withdrawal toward liberation—indicating that mokṣa is approached through turning within and realizing the Self under Śiva’s grace.

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

Linga-worship embodies Śiva as both Saguna (worshipable Lord) and the gateway to Nirguna realization; the verse supports this by placing Rudra with vidyā—devotion and contemplation on the Linga mature into liberating knowledge and nivṛtti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt nivṛtti through japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditation on the Śiva-liṅga, and Śaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supports for inward withdrawal and steady knowledge.