Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

हृत्कण्ठतालुभ्रूमध्यब्रह्मरन्ध्रसमन्विताम् । छित्त्वा पर्यष्टकाकारं स्वात्मानं च सुषुम्णया

Transliteration

hṛtkaṇṭhatālubhrūmadhyabrahmarandhrasamanvitām | chittvā paryaṣṭakākāraṃ svātmānaṃ ca suṣumṇayā

Translation

Indem man das Gewahrsein mit Herz, Kehle, Gaumen, dem Raum zwischen den Augenbrauen und dem brahma-randhra (der Öffnung am Scheitel) vereint und sodann die achtfache Hülle durchstößt, soll man das eigene Selbst durch die suṣumṇā nach oben führen.

Word by Word

• hṛtkaṇṭhatālubhrūmadhyabrahmarandhrasamanvitām: endowed with (centers) heart, throat, palate, brow-center, and brahmarandhra
• hṛtkaṇṭhatālubhrūmadhyabrahmarandhrasamanvitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + tālu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhrūmadhya (भ्रू + मध्य) + brahmarandhra (ब्रह्म + रन्ध्र) + samanvita (समन्वित कृदन्त from √i/इ with सम्)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies an implied feminine noun (e.g., nāḍī/śakti) 'endowed with ...'

• chittvā: having pierced/cut through
• chittvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (छिद् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)

• paryaṣṭakākāram: of eightfold form
• paryaṣṭakākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari- (उपसर्ग) + aṣṭaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'having the form of eight (fold)'

• svātmānam: one’s own self
• svātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (आत्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• suṣumṇayā: by/through the Suṣumṇā (central channel)
• suṣumṇayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suṣumṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines an inner yogic ascent: the bound soul (paśu) withdraws awareness through key centers and pierces limiting coverings, moving toward union with Pati (Shiva) and liberation.

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

Saguna worship purifies and steadies the mind; this verse points to the internalization of that devotion—raising consciousness to the crown where Shiva is realized as the supreme inner Lord beyond outer form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A suṣumṇā-focused meditation (prāṇa and awareness drawn upward through heart–throat–brow–crown), supported by Shaiva disciplines such as japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and purity practices like bhasma and rudrāksha where prescribed.