Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 126

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

अथ विष्णुर्महेशस्य शिवस्यैव परा तनुः । वारितत्त्वाधिपः साक्षादव्यक्तपदसंस्थितः

Transliteration

atha viṣṇurmaheśasya śivasyaiva parā tanuḥ | vāritattvādhipaḥ sākṣādavyaktapadasaṃsthitaḥ

Translation

Nun ist Viṣṇu wahrlich der höchste Leib Maheśas—Śivas selbst; der unmittelbare Herr des Wasser‑Prinzips (vāri-tattva), gegründet im Stand des Unmanifesten (avyakta).

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: आरम्भ/अनन्तर-अव्यय (particle: 'then/now')

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तनुः: body, form
• तनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वारि-तत्त्व-अधिपः: lord of the water-element
• वारि-तत्त्व-अधिपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (determinative: 'lord of the water-principle')

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'directly/manifestly')

• अव्यक्त-पद-संस्थितः: situated in the unmanifest state/plane
• अव्यक्त-पद-संस्थितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (√स्था + सम्, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) 'स्थित' = 'situated'; समासः (determinative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic mapping of deity to tattva: presiding lordship over vāri-tattva within the emanational order.

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Mahesha

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva metaphysical hierarchy where Viṣṇu is described as a supreme embodiment (parā tanuḥ) of Śiva, showing that all divine functions and tattva-governance ultimately rest in Pati (Śiva) as the source.

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

By identifying cosmic governance (like presiding over vāri-tattva) as flowing from Śiva, the verse supports Saguna worship—such as Linga-upāsanā—as devotion to the very Lord who manifests through divine forms to sustain the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the Unmanifest ground (avyakta) while worshipping His manifest form through the Linga, supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to unite nirguṇa contemplation with saguna devotion.