Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

नामाष्टकमयो योगश्शिवेन परिकल्पितः । तेन योगेन सहसा शैवी प्रज्ञा प्रजायते

Transliteration

nāmāṣṭakamayo yogaśśivena parikalpitaḥ | tena yogena sahasā śaivī prajñā prajāyate

Translation

Śiva hat ein Yoga geschaffen, das aus der achtfachen Reihe der Namen besteht. Durch die Übung eben dieses Yoga erwacht rasch śaivische Weisheit.

Word by Word

• नामाष्टकमयः: consisting of an octad of names
• नामाष्टकमयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नामन् + अष्टक + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण—योगः इति विशेष्यस्य

• योगः: the yoga/practice
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent in passive sense)

• परिकल्पितः: arranged/ordained
• परिकल्पितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + √कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; योगः इति विशेष्यस्य

• तेन: by that (by it)
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘योगेन’ इत्यस्य सह-निर्देश

• योगेन: by (that) yoga
• योगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• सहसा: suddenly/at once
• सहसा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शैवी: Śaiva, pertaining to Śiva
• शैवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रज्ञा इति विशेष्यस्य

• प्रज्ञा: wisdom/insight
• प्रज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रजायते: arises/is born
• प्रजायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-ordained nāma-yoga (disciplined contemplation of Shiva’s sacred Names) quickly awakens śaivī prajñā—clear, Shiva-centered discernment that loosens pāśa (bondage) and turns the seeker toward Pati (the Lord).

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

Name-meditation supports Saguna upāsanā: the devotee fixes mind and speech on Shiva’s revealed Names, which naturally steadies devotion for Linga-worship and purifies awareness toward the inner presence of Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa and dhyāna on Shiva’s Names (nāmāṣṭaka) as a structured daily sādhana—performed with purity, steady repetition, and devotional focus, optionally alongside Shaiva aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa.