Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

द्वौ सुपर्णौ च सयुजौ समानं वृक्षमास्थितौ । एको ऽत्ति पिप्पलं स्वादु परो ऽनश्नन् प्रपश्यति

Transliteration

dvau suparṇau ca sayujau samānaṃ vṛkṣamāsthitau | eko 'tti pippalaṃ svādu paro 'naśnan prapaśyati

Translation

Zwei Vögel, ewig vereint, sitzen auf demselben Baum. Der eine isst die süße Frucht der Pippala; der andere isst nicht, sondern schaut nur als Zeuge. So kostet im selben Leib das gebundene Selbst (paśu) die Früchte des Karma, während der höchste Herr (Pati—Śiva), unangehaftet, als reiner Seher verbleibt.

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• सुपर्णौ: two birds
• सुपर्णौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• सयुजौ: yoked together/associated
• सयुजौ: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सयुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• समानम्: the same
• समानम्: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वृक्षम्: tree
• वृक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आस्थितौ: having perched/sat
• आस्थितौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; 'having sat/settled'

• एकः: one (of them)
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अत्ति: eats
• अत्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पिप्पलम्: pippala fruit
• पिप्पलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• स्वादु: sweet
• स्वादु: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with पिप्पलम् as object-qualifier)

• परः: the other (one)
• परः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अनश्नन्: not eating
• अनश्नन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-शन्/अश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक (negative)

• प्रपश्यति: looks on/observes
• प्रपश्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta frame of Pati–Paśu–Pāśa: the individual soul (paśu) experiences pleasure and pain as fruits of karma, while Śiva as Pati is the ever-free witness within, guiding the soul toward liberation when bondage (pāśa) is removed.

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee to recognize the unseen Lord as the inner seer beyond the changing body-mind. Through Saguna Shiva (form, mantra, worship), one matures into realizing Shiva’s nirguṇa witnessing presence—the ‘other bird’ who does not partake of karma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice witness-meditation while reciting the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya): observe thoughts and sensations as ‘fruits’ without grasping. Supporting Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa can be used as reminders of detachment and Shiva’s sāksitva (inner witnessing).