Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

द्वादशांतःस्थितस्येन्दोः परस्ताच्छ्वेतपंकजे । समासीनं महादेवं शंकरम्भक्तवत्सलम्

Transliteration

dvādaśāṃtaḥsthitasyendoḥ parastācchvetapaṃkaje | samāsīnaṃ mahādevaṃ śaṃkarambhaktavatsalam

Translation

Jenseits des im dvādaśānta verweilenden Mondes, auf einem weißen Lotus, erblickte er Mahādeva—Śaṅkara—majestätisch thronend, stets gütig und gnädig zu Seinen Bhaktas.

Word by Word

• द्वादश-अन्तः-स्थितस्य: of (the moon) situated within the twelfth end
• द्वादश-अन्तः-स्थितस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तः (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (द्वादशान्ते अन्तः स्थितः) qualifying इन्दोः

• इन्दोः: of the moon
• इन्दोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचनम्; genitive singular

• परस्तात्: beyond
• परस्तात्: देशाधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचकक्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of place: beyond/above)

• श्वेत-पङ्कजे: in/on the white lotus
• श्वेत-पङ्कजे: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (श्वेतं पङ्कजम्)

• समासीनम्: seated
• समासीनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आस् (धातु) → समासीन (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; past participle ‘seated’, qualifying महादेवम्

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; apposition to महादेवम्

• भक्त-वत्सलम्: affectionate to devotees
• भक्त-वत्सलम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (भक्तेषु वत्सलः) qualifying शङ्करम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays Shiva-darśana attained through inner yoga: moving beyond the lunar mind-principle (symbolized by the moon) to the pure inner lotus where Mahādeva is realized as Pati—supremely compassionate to devotees—granting grace that loosens pāśa (bondage).

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

Though Shiva is ultimately beyond form (Niṣkala), the verse emphasizes Saguna realization for meditation: Mahādeva seated on the inner lotus as a worshipful, accessible presence. This complements Liṅga worship, where the devotee approaches the formless through a sacred, grace-bearing symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A yogic contemplation on the dvādaśānta (the subtle end-point of the breath-current) culminating in meditation on the inner white lotus, supported by bhakti—often paired in Shaiva practice with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady remembrance of Śaṅkara as bhakta-vatsala.