Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

सांख्ययोगाधिगम्यं यत्कारणं जगतां पतिम् । ज्ञात्वा देवं पशुः पाशैस्सर्वैरेव विमुच्यते

Transliteration

sāṃkhyayogādhigamyaṃ yatkāraṇaṃ jagatāṃ patim | jñātvā devaṃ paśuḥ pāśaissarvaireva vimucyate

Translation

Wenn der paśu, die gebundene Seele, wahrhaft erkennt, dass Gott—Śiva, der Pati, Herr aller Welten—der kausale Grund ist, der durch Sāṅkhya und Yoga erfasst wird, wird er von allen Fesseln (pāśa) befreit.

Word by Word

• सांख्ययोगाधिगम्यम्: knowable/attainable through Sāṅkhya and Yoga
• सांख्ययोगाधिगम्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांख्य-योग-अधिगम्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कृदन्त: धातु √गम् (गच्छ्) + उपसर्ग अधि-, ल्युट्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थे ‘अधिगम्य’ = ‘अधिगमनीय/अधिगम्य’; विशेषणम्

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Samānādhikaraṇa/Predicate (विशेष्य-विशेषण/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• पतिम्: lord
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having known’

• देवम्: the God
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पशुः: the bound soul (paśu)
• पशुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पाशैः: from/with the bonds
• पाशैः: Apādāna/Instrument (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• सर्वैः: all
• सर्वैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘पाशैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• विमुच्यते: is released/freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes that liberating knowledge of Pati (Śiva) severs pāśa; pilgrimage is secondary to jñāna-bhakti leading to mokṣa.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It states the core Siddhānta theme of paśu–pāśa–pati: when the soul realizes Śiva as the supreme causal Lord, bondage is destroyed and liberation becomes possible.

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

Linga-worship (saguṇa upāsanā) disciplines the mind and directs devotion toward Śiva as Pati; through that focused worship, one matures into true knowledge of Śiva as the ultimate cause beyond all limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A Yoga-based practice of steady meditation on Śiva as Pati (often supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is implied as the means by which the paśu becomes free from pāśas.