Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

भोगः कर्मविनाशाय भोगमव्यक्तमुच्यते । बाह्यांतःकरणद्वारं शरीरं भोगसाधनम्

Transliteration

bhogaḥ karmavināśāya bhogamavyaktamucyate | bāhyāṃtaḥkaraṇadvāraṃ śarīraṃ bhogasādhanam

Translation

Bhoga (Erfahrung, Genießen) dient dem Abtragen des Karma; darum wird Bhoga „avyakta“ genannt (unmanifest, in der Wurzel subtil). Der Körper, als Tor der äußeren Sinne und des inneren Instruments (Geist), ist das Mittel, durch das Erfahrung durchlebt wird.

Word by Word

• भोगः: enjoyment/experience
• भोगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्मविनाशाय: for the destruction of karma
• कर्मविनाशाय: Sampradana/Purpose (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मणः विनाशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• भोगम्: enjoyment
• भोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भोगम् इति)

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• बाह्य: external
• बाह्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (अन्तःकरणद्वारम् इत्यत्र)

• अन्तःकरणद्वारम्: the gateway of the inner organ (mind)
• अन्तःकरणद्वारम्: Karma/Predicate nominal (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःकरण + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—अन्तःकरणस्य द्वारम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भोगसाधनम्: instrument/means of enjoyment
• भोगसाधनम्: Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—भोगस्य साधनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames embodied life as a purposeful field where karmas ripen and are exhausted through bhoga; by understanding the body-mind as instruments (not the Self), the seeker turns experience into a means toward Shiva-realization and liberation.

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

Since the body is the ‘gateway’ of senses and mind, Linga worship disciplines both—redirecting perception and thought toward Saguna Shiva—so that karmic impressions are purified and the seeker becomes fit for knowing Shiva beyond manifestation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Sense-restraint with mantra-japa—especially the Panchakshara ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’—supported by Shaiva marks like Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha, to steady the inner instrument and transform bhoga into karma-kshaya.