Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

तत्त्रैगुण्यं त्रयीसाध्यं संशोध्यं च पदैषिणा । अध्वातीतं तुरीयाख्यं निर्वाणं परमं पदम्

Transliteration

tattraiguṇyaṃ trayīsādhyaṃ saṃśodhyaṃ ca padaiṣiṇā | adhvātītaṃ turīyākhyaṃ nirvāṇaṃ paramaṃ padam

Translation

Der Sucher der höchsten Wohnstatt soll gründlich läutern, was aus den drei Guṇas besteht und durch die vedische Dreiheit erkannt wird. Jenseits aller Pfade (weltlicher Entfaltung) gelangt er in den Zustand namens Turīya — das Nirvāṇa, die höchste, erhabene Stätte.

Word by Word

• तत्-त्रैगुण्यम्: that tri-guṇa state
• तत्-त्रैगुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + त्रैगुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• त्रयी-साध्यम्: to be accomplished by the triad (of means)
• त्रयी-साध्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयी (प्रातिपदिक) + साध्य (कृदन्त, √साध् (धातु) यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (साध्य = to be accomplished); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• संशोध्यम्: to be purified/rectified
• संशोध्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+√शुध्/√शोध् (धातु) → शोध्य (कृदन्त, यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive: to be purified/examined); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• पद-एषिणा: by the seeker of the state/goal
• पद-एषिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• अध्व-अतीतम्: beyond the paths
• अध्व-अतीतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त, √इ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तुरीय-आख्यम्: called ‘the fourth’
• तुरीय-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुरीय (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक: √आ+√ख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्वाणम्: nirvāṇa
• निर्वाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation is attained by purifying the guṇa-bound nature and transcending all limited “paths” of worldly becoming, culminating in Turīya—Nirvāṇa, the supreme state identified with Shiva’s highest reality.

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

Saguna worship (including Linga-upāsanā) supports purification of the guṇas and mental impurities; when devotion and discernment mature, the seeker realizes the transcendental (nirguṇa) goal indicated here as Turīya/Nirvāṇa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is inner purification through disciplined meditation and contemplative inquiry supported by Shaiva sādhana (japa of Shiva-mantra, steady dhyāna, and ethical restraint), aiming to transcend the guṇas rather than remain confined to ritual outcomes.