Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

तदा महेश्वरस्तेषां मध्यतो वरवेषधृक् । स्वलक्षणैर्विहीनांगः स्वयं यक्ष इवाभवत्

Transliteration

tadā maheśvarasteṣāṃ madhyato varaveṣadhṛk | svalakṣaṇairvihīnāṃgaḥ svayaṃ yakṣa ivābhavat

Translation

Da erschien Maheśvara in einer prächtigen Verkleidung mitten unter ihnen; sein Körper war seiner eigenen Erkennungsmerkmale beraubt, und er wurde wie ein leibhaftiger Yakṣa.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मध्यतः: from the midst
• मध्यतः: Apādāna/Adhikarana (अपादान/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/in the midst’)

• वर-वेष-धृक्: wearing an excellent disguise
• वर-वेष-धृक्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of महेश्वरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त (धृक् = धारकः), तत्पुरुष (वरः वेषः यस्य/वरवेषं धारयति)

• स्व-लक्षणैः: by (his) own marks
• स्व-लक्षणैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य लक्षणानि)

• विहीन-अङ्गः: devoid of (his) usual features
• विहीन-अङ्गः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of महेश्वरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (विहीनानि अङ्गानि यस्य / lacking limbs/marks)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive/emphatic adverb)

• यक्षः: a yaksha
• यक्षः: Upamāna/Predicate (उपमान/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपात (particle of comparison)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Maheshvara)

FAQs

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

It shows Śiva’s līlā of concealment: the Supreme Pati can veil His recognizable glory so devotees (and the proud) are tested, learning humility and seeing the Divine beyond outward signs—an essential Shaiva Siddhanta theme of grace removing bondage (pāśa).

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

Like the Liṅga, which is a simple form pointing to the formless Reality, Śiva’s disguised appearance teaches that Saguna forms guide the mind, but true worship is recognition of Śiva’s presence even when external identifiers are absent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice inward recollection with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), cultivating humility; let external observances (bhasma/tripuṇḍra, rudrākṣa) support devotion without pride in mere outward marks.