Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

उपमन्युतपः-निवारणप्रसङ्गः / Śiva restrains Upamanyu’s tapas (Śiva disguised as Indra)

Devanagari script

स्मृत्वा शंभुपदद्वंद्वं स्वदेहं दुग्धुमुद्यतः । आग्नेयीं धारणां बिभ्रदुपमन्युरवस्थितः

Transliteration

smṛtvā śaṃbhupadadvaṃdvaṃ svadehaṃ dugdhumudyataḥ | āgneyīṃ dhāraṇāṃ bibhradupamanyuravasthitaḥ

Translation

Im Gedenken an die beiden Füße Śambhus (Herrn Śiva) war Upamanyu darauf aus, Milch aus dem eigenen Leib zu gewinnen. In der feurigen Dhāraṇā (āgneyī) gegründet, blieb er versunken und standhaft.

Word by Word

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having remembered’

• शम्भु-पद-द्वन्द्वम्: the pair of Śambhu’s feet
• शम्भु-पद-द्वन्द्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular); ‘शम्भोः पदयोः द्वन्द्वम्’ (genitive-tatpuruṣa)

• स्व-देहम्: his own body
• स्व-देहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); ‘स्वः देहः’ (one’s own body)

• दुग्धुम्: to milk (extract)
• दुग्धुम्: Prayojana/Artha (प्रयोजन/अर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुह् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), ‘to milk/extract’

• उद्यतः: ready, intent
• उद्यतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-यत (कृदन्त; यत् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); ‘ready/intent’

• आग्नेयीम्: fiery, of Agni
• आग्नेयीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आग्नेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); विशेषण

• धारणाम्: concentration/meditative retention
• धारणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• बिभ्रत्: bearing, holding
• बिभ्रत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bearing/holding’

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अवस्थितः: stood, remained
• अवस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘standing/remaining’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakshinamurti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not Jyotirliṅga-specific; the verse is yogic-devotional: smaraṇa of Śiva’s feet and dhāraṇā (āgneyī) leading to extraordinary tapas-siddhi.

Significance: Teaches the inner pilgrimage: remembrance of Śiva’s pāda-dvandva and disciplined dhāraṇā as a means to transcend bodily limitation and receive Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Upamanyu

FAQs

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

It highlights unwavering bhakti joined with yogic discipline: by fixing his mind on Śiva’s feet and sustaining āgneyī-dhāraṇā, Upamanyu shows how intense remembrance (smaraṇa) steadies the soul (paśu) toward the grace of Pati (Śiva).

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

Meditation on Śiva’s feet is a saguna support for concentration, just as the Śiva-liṅga is a concrete focus for devotion; both train the mind toward Śiva, who ultimately transcends form while compassionately accepting form-based worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A yogic dhāraṇā linked with inner heat (āgneyī), combined with devotional remembrance of Śiva; practically, it suggests disciplined meditation and tapas, supported by mantra-japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī) rather than bodily indulgence.