Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 69

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन नाचरेदशिवं व्रती । प्रमादात्तु तथाचारे निरूप्य गुरुलाघवे

Transliteration

bahunātra kimuktena nācaredaśivaṃ vratī | pramādāttu tathācāre nirūpya gurulāghave

Translation

Wozu hier viele Worte? Wer ein Gelübde (vrata) hält, soll niemals das Unheilvolle tun, das Śiva zuwider ist. Wenn jedoch aus Unachtsamkeit solches Handeln geschieht, dann soll man, nachdem man Schweres (schwere Schuld) und Leichtes (leichte Schuld) unterschieden hat, die angemessene Sühne und Berichtigung vollziehen.

Word by Word

• बहुना: with much (speech)
• बहुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by much (talk)’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place) ‘here’

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• उक्तेन: by saying/with words
• उक्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by what is said’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• आचरेत्: should practice/do
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should practice’

• अशिवम्: inauspiciousness/evil
• अशिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘inauspicious/evil’; कर्म

• व्रती: a vow-observer
• व्रती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘one observing a vow’

• प्रमादात्: from negligence
• प्रमादात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (adversative/emphatic particle)

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner) ‘thus/so’

• आचारे: in conduct
• आचारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in conduct/practice’

• निरूप्य: having considered
• निरूप्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + रूप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having examined/considered’

• गुरु-लाघवे: in (matters of) heaviness and lightness (gravity vs. levity)
• गुरु-लाघवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + लाघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः ‘गुरुत्वं च लाघवं च’ (heaviness and lightness), ‘with respect to’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes vrata-śuddhi: avoiding aśiva (adharmic/inauspicious) acts preserves the efficacy of Śiva-vrata; if a lapse occurs, discern gravity and restore purity through proper niṣkṛti.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva vows must align with Śiva’s auspicious dharma; if a lapse happens through pramāda (negligence), the seeker should honestly assess the severity and correct it through appropriate discipline, preserving purity of intention and steady devotion.

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

Linga-worship emphasizes śuddhi (purity), niyama (observance), and reverence for Śiva’s auspiciousness; this verse warns against actions that contradict that worship and points to restoring right conduct when mistakes occur.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies prayāścitta and renewed niyama: return to regular Shiva-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and disciplined observance—choosing the remedy according to whether the lapse is guru (grave) or lāghava (minor).