Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

तद्रोचकं पूरकं च कुंभकं च त्रिधोच्यते । नासिकापुटमंगुल्या पीड्यैकमपरेण तु

Transliteration

tadrocakaṃ pūrakaṃ ca kuṃbhakaṃ ca tridhocyate | nāsikāpuṭamaṃgulyā pīḍyaikamapareṇa tu

Translation

Diese Atemübung wird als dreifach gelehrt: recaka (Ausatmung), pūraka (Einatmung) und kumbhaka (Anhalten). Man drücke ein Nasenloch mit einem Finger zu und reguliere den Atem durch das andere entsprechend.

Word by Word

• तत्: that/this (i.e., that practice)
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (रोचकं इति विशेष्ये)

• रोचकम्: recaka (exhalation)
• रोचकम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पूरकम्: pūraka (inhalation)
• पूरकम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• कुम्भकम्: kumbhaka (retention)
• कुम्भकम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• त्रिधा: in three ways/threefold
• त्रिधा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb): त्रिप्रकारेण/threefold

• उच्यते: is said/is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नासिकापुटम्: nostril (nasal passage)
• नासिकापुटम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिकापुट (प्रातिपदिक; नासिका + पुट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नासिकायाः पुटम्)

• अङ्गुल्या: with the finger
• अङ्गुल्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पीड्य: having pressed
• पीड्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त-अव्ययीभावार्थक कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having pressed’

• एकम्: one (of the two)
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (पुटम् इति विशेष्ये)

• अपरेण: with the other
• अपरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-प्रयोगे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘with the other (finger/hand)’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva yoga teaching in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Internal pilgrimage (antar-yātrā): prāṇa-niyama steadies the bound soul (paśu) and prepares it for Śiva’s grace through yogic discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames prāṇāyāma as a disciplined, threefold purification of prāṇa—exhalation, inhalation, and retention—supporting inner steadiness so the soul (paśu) can loosen bondage (pāśa) and turn toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Breath regulation steadies mind and senses, making japa and dhyāna on Saguna Shiva—such as contemplation of the Linga—more single-pointed; it becomes an auxiliary (aṅga) to Shaiva worship rather than a separate goal.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests nāḍī-śodhana style nostril regulation: gently closing one nostril with a finger and practicing recaka–pūraka–kumbhaka in a controlled manner, ideally alongside Shiva-mantra japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as appropriate.