Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

विषया इति कथ्यन्ते पाशा जीवनिबन्धनाः । ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यंतान् पशून्बद्ध्वा महेश्वरः

Transliteration

viṣayā iti kathyante pāśā jīvanibandhanāḥ | brahmādistambaparyaṃtān paśūnbaddhvā maheśvaraḥ

Translation

Die Sinnesobjekte heißen «pāśas», lebensbindende Fesseln, denn sie heften die verkörperte Seele an das weltliche Dasein. So bindet Mahādeva, Mahēśvara, alle Wesen als «paśus»—von Brahmā bis hin zum bloßen Baumstumpf—unter Begrenzung.

Word by Word

• विषयाः: objects (of sense)
• विषयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• इति: thus / as
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• कथ्यन्ते: are called / are said
• कथ्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), Present passive 3rd plural

• पाशाः: nooses / bonds
• पाशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• जीव-निबन्धनाः: binding the living beings
• जीव-निबन्धनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + निबन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जीवस्य निबन्धनाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agreeing with पाशाः

• ब्रह्म-आदि-स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तान्: from Brahmā up to a clump of grass (i.e., all)
• ब्रह्म-आदि-स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मादयः ... स्तम्बपर्यन्ताः येषां ते); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; qualifying पशून्

• पशून्: beings / creatures
• पशून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• बद्ध्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bound)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It defines pāśa (bondage) as attachment to sense-objects that keeps the jīva confined to saṃsāra, and presents Śiva as Pati—the Lord who governs the bound condition of all beings and is also the ultimate source of release.

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

By recognizing sense-objects as pāśa, the devotee turns from external grasping to devotion and surrender to Saguna Śiva (worshipped as the Liṅga), seeking His grace to loosen bondage and reveal the soul’s dependence on Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice sense-restraint (indriya-nigraha) with Śiva-centered japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and meditate on Śiva as the inner Lord who cuts the pāśas of attachment.