Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

साधनं शिवमंत्राद्यं साध्यं शिवसमानता । षडर्थसंग्रहस्यास्य ज्ञानात्सर्वज्ञतोच्यते

Transliteration

sādhanaṃ śivamaṃtrādyaṃ sādhyaṃ śivasamānatā | ṣaḍarthasaṃgrahasyāsya jñānātsarvajñatocyate

Translation

Der Weg der Verwirklichung beginnt mit dem Mantra Śivas, und das zu erreichende Ziel ist die Gleichgestalt mit Śiva. Wer dieses Kompendium der sechs Kategorien der śaivischen Lehre erkennt, von dem heißt es, er erlange Allwissenheit — wahres geistiges Erkennen.

Word by Word

• साधनम्: means; practice
• साधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• शिवमन्त्राद्यम्: beginning with Śiva-mantra
• शिवमन्त्राद्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव-मन्त्र-आद्य (प्रातिपदिक; components: शिव + मन्त्र + आद्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• साध्यम्: goal; that which is to be accomplished
• साध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• शिवसमानता: equality with Śiva; Śiva-likeness
• शिवसमानता: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-समानता (प्रातिपदिक; components: शिव + समानता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन; साध्यस्य विशेषणार्थक-सम्बन्ध (appositional/definitional)

• षडर्थसंग्रहस्य: of the collection of six topics
• षडर्थसंग्रहस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्-अर्थ-संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक; components: षड् + अर्थ + संग्रह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen.), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen.), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ज्ञानात्: from/through knowledge
• ज्ञानात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Abl.), एकवचन

• सर्वज्ञता: omniscience
• सर्वज्ञता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-ज्ञता (प्रातिपदिक; components: सर्व + ज्ञता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines the Shaiva path: practice begins with Śiva-mantra (upāya), the fruit is śiva-samānatā (sharing Śiva’s purity and auspicious qualities), and right knowledge of the core doctrinal categories matures into liberating, all-illumining wisdom.

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

Śiva-mantra and Linga-worship are paired disciplines in the Purāṇa: the mantra steadies inner contemplation while Saguna worship (Linga) anchors devotion and purity, leading the devotee toward Śiva’s likeness through grace and disciplined understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of Śiva’s mantra—especially the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—supported by Shaiva disciplines such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra), rudrākṣa, and focused meditation on Śiva as the supreme Pati, aiming at inner transformation into śiva-samānatā.