Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 59

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

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

Devanagari script

अलक्षणमनिर्देश्यमवाङ्मनसगोचरम् । प्रकाशैकरसं शांतं प्रसन्नं सततोदितम्

Transliteration

alakṣaṇamanirdeśyamavāṅmanasagocaram | prakāśaikarasaṃ śāṃtaṃ prasannaṃ satatoditam

Translation

Er ist ohne kennzeichnende Merkmale, jenseits aller Beschreibung und kein Gegenstand von Rede oder Geist. Er ist von einer einzigen Wesenheit reinen Lichts (Bewusstseins), stets still und strahlend, stets heiter und gnädig, ewig aus sich selbst offenbar.

Word by Word

• अलक्षणम्: without marks/attributes
• अलक्षणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; नञ्-समास/उपपद-निषेध (without characteristics)

• अनिर्देश्यम्: indescribable
• अनिर्देश्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + निर्देश्य (कृदन्त; √दिश्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; नञ्-युक्त कृदन्त (not describable/indicatible)

• अवाक्-मनस्-गोचरम्: beyond speech and mind
• अवाक्-मनस्-गोचरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘वाचः मनसः च गोचरः’ → ‘beyond speech and mind’)

• प्रकाश-एक-रसम्: of one essence—pure light
• प्रकाश-एक-रसम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समासः: ‘एकरस’ (कर्मधारय: one essence) + तत्पुरुष (प्रकाशस्य एकरसः)

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त; √शम्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• प्रसन्नम्: serene/clear
• प्रसन्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (कृदन्त; प्र+√सद्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• सतत-उदितम्: ever-arisen/ever-manifest
• सतत-उदितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक) + उदित (कृदन्त; √उद्/√इ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; तत्पुरुष-समास (सततम् उदितम् = ever-arisen/ever-manifest)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to Shiva as Pati—the supreme Reality who transcends all limiting attributes, yet is directly realizable as self-luminous Consciousness; liberation comes by turning inward from names and forms to that ever-present Light.

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

The Linga functions as a sacred support for meditation: while the verse describes Shiva as beyond speech and mind (nirguṇa), Linga-worship (saguṇa-upāsanā) steadies devotion and leads the seeker toward realizing the same formless, self-effulgent Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Silent dhyāna on Shiva as prakāśa (inner light) is primary; in practice, this can be joined with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and calm, sattvic worship to cultivate śānti (tranquility) and prasāda (clarity/grace).