Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

पञ्चमं स्फटिकप्रख्यमिंदुरेखासमुज्ज्वलम् । अतीव सौम्यमुत्फुल्ललोचनत्रितयोज्ज्वलम्

Transliteration

pañcamaṃ sphaṭikaprakhyamiṃdurekhāsamujjvalam | atīva saumyamutphullalocanatritayojjvalam

Translation

Die fünfte Gestalt strahlte kristallgleich, leuchtend geschmückt mit dem Zeichen der Mondsichel. Überaus sanft und glückverheißend im Anblick, glänzte sie im Glanz dreier weit geöffneter Augen.

Word by Word

• pañcamam: the fifth (one)
• pañcamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (neuter acc./nom. sg.; ordinal ‘fifth’)

• sphaṭika-prakhyam: crystal-like
• sphaṭika-prakhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक) + prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (sphaṭikasadṛśam) (neuter acc./nom. sg.; ‘crystal-like’)

• indu-rekhā-sam-ujjvalam: bright with the moon’s streak/crescent
• indu-rekhā-sam-ujjvalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indu (प्रातिपदिक) + rekhā (प्रातिपदिक) + sam (उपसर्ग) + ujjvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (indos rekhayā samujjvalam) (neuter acc./nom. sg.; ‘bright with the moon-line’)

• atīva: exceedingly, very
• atīva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रतावाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of intensity)

• saumyam: gentle, pleasing
• saumyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter acc./nom. sg.)

• utphulla-locana-tritaya-ujjvalam: bright with three wide-open eyes
• utphulla-locana-tritaya-ujjvalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utphulla (प्रातिपदिक) + locana (प्रातिपदिक) + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ujjvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (utphullānāṃ locanānāṃ tritayena ujjvalam) (neuter acc./nom. sg.; ‘bright with a triad of wide-open eyes’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a Saguna (manifest) vision of Shiva—serene, luminous, and compassionate—so the devotee’s mind can rest in a pure, auspicious form that leads toward inner clarity and liberation under Shiva’s grace.

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

While the Linga points to Shiva’s transcendent reality, this verse gives a personal, meditative iconography—Chandrashekhara with the three eyes—supporting dhyāna and bhakti as valid approaches to the same Supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna on Shiva’s crystal-like radiance, the crescent-moon mark, and the three eyes—combined with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—is the implied practice for steadiness of mind and purification.