Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रथमं शिवबीजेषु कलासु च चतुष्कलम् । पूर्वभागे मया भक्त्या शक्त्या सह समर्चितम्

Transliteration

prathamaṃ śivabījeṣu kalāsu ca catuṣkalam | pūrvabhāge mayā bhaktyā śaktyā saha samarcitam

Translation

Zuerst, unter den Śiva-Samen und ihren göttlichen Energien (kalā), verehrte ich in Hingabe die vierfache Kraft im ersten Abschnitt—zusammen mit Śakti.

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण (Qualifier/Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; adverbial/qualifying sense ‘first’

• शिवबीजेषु: in the Śiva-seeds (mantras)
• शिवबीजेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘in the Śiva-seeds/mantras’

• कलासु: in the kalās (parts/energies)
• कलासु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुष्कलम्: the fourfold (four-kalā form)
• चतुष्कलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुस् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः: ‘fourfold/four-kalā’

• पूर्वभागे: in the earlier part
• पूर्वभागे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘in the former/earlier part’

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental of manner

• शक्त्या: with power / with Śakti
• शक्त्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental of accompaniment/power

• सह: together with
• सह: सहकारक (Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (postposition), ‘together with’ (governs instrumental)

• समर्चितम्: was duly worshipped
• समर्चितम्: क्रिया (Predicative verbal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अर्च् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; used predicatively: ‘was duly worshipped’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva-worship as inseparable from Śakti: the Lord is approached through His bija (mantric seed) and kalā (operative divine power), indicating that grace and liberation arise when devotion recognizes the unity of Pati (Śiva) with His Śakti.

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

Bija and kalā point to Saguna upāsanā—worship of Śiva with attributes—commonly performed through the Liṅga along with Śakti (as the power of manifestation), emphasizing complete worship rather than a merely abstract Nirguna contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-upāsanā centered on Śiva-bīja and contemplation of Śiva’s kalās, performed with bhakti and awareness of Śakti—practically expressed through Liṅga-pūjā with japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) and meditative identification of Śiva-Śakti unity.