Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 37

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

मातोवाच । शुभं विचारितं तात त्वया मत्प्रीतिवर्धनम् । विलंबं मा कथास्त्वं हि भज सांबं सदाशिवम्

Transliteration

mātovāca | śubhaṃ vicāritaṃ tāta tvayā matprītivardhanam | vilaṃbaṃ mā kathāstvaṃ hi bhaja sāṃbaṃ sadāśivam

Translation

Die Mutter sprach: „Lieber Sohn, du hast gut nachgedacht — das mehrt meine Freude. Zögere nicht mit weiteren Worten; verehre vielmehr Sāṃba Sadāśiva, Śiva, der mit Umā vereint ist.“

Word by Word

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शुभम्: auspicious (thing)
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विचारितम्: considered, reflected upon
• विचारितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-car (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत (क्त) कृदन्त/भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्यय, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘well-considered’

• तात: dear son
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मत्-प्रीति-वर्धनम्: that which increases my joy
• मत्-प्रीति-वर्धनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prīti (प्रातिपदिक) + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘my’ + ‘pleasure’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विलम्बम्: delay
• विलम्बम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vilamba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle), लोट्/विधिलिङ्-आश्रय-निषेधः

• कथाः: talks, words
• कथाः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘कथां कुरु’ इत्यर्थे कर्मरूपेण

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• भज: worship, resort to
• भज: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• साम्बम्: Sāmba (Shiva)
• साम्बम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāmba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शिवस्य नाम

• सदा-शिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadā (अव्यय) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (‘ever’ + ‘auspicious’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शिवस्य नाम

Speaker

Mother (addressing her son)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific Jyotirliṅga passage; it functions as upadeśa to take refuge in Sāṃba Sadāśiva (Śiva inseparable from Umā).

Significance: Emphasizes immediate turning to bhajana (upāsanā) without procrastination—seen as the doorway to Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: भज सांबं सदाशिवम्

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Uma
• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It teaches immediacy in sādhanā: once the mind has discerned the auspicious path, one should not postpone practice but turn directly to devotion and refuge in Sadāśiva, the liberating Pati (Lord) of all beings.

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

By naming Sāṃba Sadāśiva (Shiva with Umā), the verse points to Saguna worship—approaching the compassionate Lord with attributes and grace. Such worship is commonly embodied through Liṅga-pūjā, where the devotee offers reverence to Shiva as the accessible form leading toward the highest reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical instruction is to begin Shiva-bhajana immediately—such as daily Liṅga worship with water and bilva leaves, and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating steady remembrance without delay.