Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

पृथिवीपद इत्येवं देवा देवव्रतैः स्तुता । एवन्त्रिभिर्मलैरामैः पक्वैरेव पृथक्पृथक्

Transliteration

pṛthivīpada ityevaṃ devā devavrataiḥ stutā | evantribhirmalairāmaiḥ pakvaireva pṛthakpṛthak

Translation

So priesen die Götter, den göttlichen Gelübden ergeben, sie als „Pṛthivīpada“. Ebenso wird durch die drei Arten der Unreinheit (mala) — sowohl im unreifen als auch im gereiften Zustand — jede Seele gesondert und deutlich gebunden.

Word by Word

• पृथिवीपदः: (one called) ‘Earth-footed’ / ‘having the earth as a foot/step’
• पृथिवीपदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पृथिव्याः पदः)

• इति: thus/‘so’
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this manner
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• देवव्रतैः: by divine vows/observances
• देवव्रतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (व्रत-शब्दस्य), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां व्रतानि)

• स्तुताः: praised
• स्तुताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘praised’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अनुत्रिभिः: with the threefold successive (ones)
• अनुत्रिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• मलैः: by impurities
• मलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• आमैः: unripe/uncooked
• आमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• पक्वैः: ripe/cooked
• पक्वैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: पृथक्त्वार्थक-अव्यय (adverb of separation)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: pṛthivīpada

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: doctrinal pivot from cosmography to mala-traya (three impurities) binding the soul

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

It points to a key Shaiva Siddhanta idea: each soul is individually bound by impurities (mala), which can exist in latent (“unripe”) or manifest (“ripened”) forms, and liberation requires Shiva’s grace to remove these bonds.

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

By highlighting bondage through mala, it implicitly supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga worship) as a grace-centered path where devotion, purity, and Shiva’s anugraha lead the bound soul toward purification and realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adherence to devavrata (holy observances) is emphasized—practically expressed through regular Shiva puja, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and purity disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as supports for inner cleansing.