Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

शैवागमो हि द्विविधः श्रौतो ऽश्रौतश्च संस्कृतः । श्रुतिसारमयः श्रौतस्स्वतंत्र इतरो मतः

Transliteration

śaivāgamo hi dvividhaḥ śrauto 'śrautaśca saṃskṛtaḥ | śrutisāramayaḥ śrautassvataṃtra itaro mataḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, die Śaiva-Āgama gilt als zweifach: vedisch (śrauta) und nicht-śrauta. Die śrauta-Überlieferung ist aus dem Wesen der Śruti (der Veden) gebildet, während die andere als in Autorität und Vorgehen eigenständig gilt.

Word by Word

• शैवागमः: the Śaiva Āgama
• शैवागमः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवस्य/शैवः आगमः = Śaiva scripture); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (indeed/for)

• द्विविधः: twofold
• द्विविधः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjective qualifying शैवागमः

• श्रौतः: Vedic/Śrauta
• श्रौतः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; one member of the twofold division

• अश्रौतः: non-Śrauta (non-Vedic)
• अश्रौतः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-निषेध; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• संस्कृतः: well-arranged/compiled
• संस्कृतः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√कृ (धातु) → संस्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘well-formed/compiled’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; qualifying (अश्रौतः)

• श्रुतिसारमयः: consisting of the essence of the Veda
• श्रुतिसारमयः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/section)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति + सार + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रुतेः सारः = essence of śruti; तन्मयः = consisting of that); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रौतः: the Śrauta (division)
• श्रौतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; used substantively ‘the Śrauta (one)’

• स्वतन्त्रः: independent
• स्वतन्त्रः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• इतरः: the other
• इतरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘the other (one)’

• मतः: is considered (to be)
• मतः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘considered/held to be’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicative with इतरः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes that Śiva’s revelation is preserved in two complementary streams—Vaidika (rooted in Śruti) and Āgamic (self-authoritative), affirming that liberation-oriented Śaiva practice can be grounded either in the Vedic essence or in Āgama-based discipline.

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

Linga and Saguna-Śiva worship is commonly detailed in Āgamas with precise procedures (mantra, nyāsa, arcana), while the Śrauta/Vaidika stream connects that worship to the essence of Śruti—together legitimizing both Vedic-aligned and Āgamic modes of Śiva-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to follow an authentic, lineage-consistent Śaiva method—either Śrauta-aligned Vedic worship or Āgama-based pūjā—centered on Śiva-mantra (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the core meditative discipline.