Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

साधक-दीक्षा तथा मन्त्रसाधन

Puraścaraṇa and the Discipline of the Mantra-Sādhaka

Devanagari script

अलाभे पायसस्याश्नन्फलमूलादिकानि वा । विहितानि शिवेनैव विशिष्टान्युत्तरोत्तरम्

Transliteration

alābhe pāyasasyāśnanphalamūlādikāni vā | vihitāni śivenaiva viśiṣṭānyuttarottaram

Translation

Ist süßer Milchreis (pāyasa) nicht zu erlangen, so kann man stattdessen Früchte, Wurzeln und dergleichen zu sich nehmen. Diese Alternativen sind wahrlich von Herrn Śiva selbst vorgeschrieben, in aufeinanderfolgenden Stufen zunehmender Eignung.

Word by Word

• alābhe: in the absence (non-availability)
• alābhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• pāyasasya: of rice-milk/pāyasa
• pāyasasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• aśnan: eating
• aśnan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya (शतृ/Present active participle), Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• phala-mūla-ādikāni: fruits, roots, and the like
• phala-mūla-ādikāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāhāra-dvandva (समाहार-द्वन्द्व) ‘fruits, roots, etc.’; Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-nipāta (विकल्प-अव्यय)

• vihitāni: are prescribed
• vihitāni: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vidhā (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (क्त/PPP), Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• śivena: by Śiva
• śivena: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3/तृतीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (अवधारण-अव्यय, emphatic particle)

• viśiṣṭāni: more excellent/superior
• viśiṣṭāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• uttara-uttaram: successively, more and more
• uttara-uttaram: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; indeclinable sense ‘progressively, each succeeding (more)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes Śiva’s compassionate accommodation (anugraha) in vrata/niyama: sincere observance is upheld even when ideal naivedya is unavailable, reducing anxiety and supporting continuity of worship.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva accepts sincere devotion supported by disciplined simplicity; when ideal offerings are not available, one should still worship using permissible substitutes without abandoning the vow.

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

In Saguna worship of the Liṅga, naivedya is offered according to capacity; this verse authorizes graded substitutes, emphasizing that the intention (bhakti) and rule-following matter more than opulence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain the vrata with sattvic intake—pāyasa if possible, otherwise fruits/roots—while continuing Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and respectful offering to the Liṅga.