Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

शिवतत्त्वादिभूम्यंतं तत्त्वाध्वा समुदाहृतः । षड्विंशत्संख्ययोपेतः शुद्धाशुद्धोभयात्मकः

Transliteration

śivatattvādibhūmyaṃtaṃ tattvādhvā samudāhṛtaḥ | ṣaḍviṃśatsaṃkhyayopetaḥ śuddhāśuddhobhayātmakaḥ

Translation

Der «Pfad der Prinzipien» (tattvādhvā) wird als vom Śiva-Prinzip bis zum Erd-Prinzip reichend verkündet. Er umfasst sechsundzwanzig Tattvas und ist von der Natur des Reinen, des Unreinen und des Gemischten (beides).

Word by Word

• शिवतत्त्वादि-भूमि-अन्तम्: up to the end (i.e., up to Bhūmi) beginning with Śiva-tattva
• शिवतत्त्वादि-भूमि-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-तत्त्व-आदि-भूमि-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अन्तं यावत्/पर्यन्तं इति अर्थे)

• तत्त्व-अध्वा: the path/series of tattvas
• तत्त्व-अध्वा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व-अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/उद्देश्य), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तत्त्वानां अध्वा)

• समुदाहृतः: is declared/has been stated
• समुदाहृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-आ-√हृ (धातु) → समुदाहृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is declared/has been stated’

• षड्विंशत्-संख्यया: by the number twenty-six / with the count of twenty-six
• षड्विंशत्-संख्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘सङ्ख्यया’ इति करण/विशेषण-हेतु

• उपेतः: endowed with / accompanied by
• उपेतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√इ (धातु) → उपेत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तत्त्वाध्वा)

• शुद्ध-अशुद्ध-उभय-आत्मकः: having the nature of both pure and impure
• शुद्ध-अशुद्ध-उभय-आत्मकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + उभय (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उभयस्य आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps the soul’s field of experience as a graded series of realities—from Śiva-tattva down to Earth—showing what must be discerned and transcended so the bound soul (paśu) can move beyond impurity toward Śiva-realization (pati-jñāna).

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

Linga-worship anchors the mind in Śiva as the highest tattva; through devotion and contemplation, the worshipper gradually purifies the mixed and impure levels of experience, turning attention from worldly elements to the supreme Lord who pervades and transcends them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation) alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), supported by Śaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa, to purify the aśuddha and mixed tattvas and steady awareness in Śiva-tattva.