Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 53

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

सर्वमन्यत्परित्यज्य शिव एव शिवंकरः । परो ध्येयो ऽधिदेवेशः समाप्ताथर्वणी श्रुतिः

Transliteration

sarvamanyatparityajya śiva eva śivaṃkaraḥ | paro dhyeyo 'dhideveśaḥ samāptātharvaṇī śrutiḥ

Translation

Alles andere aufgebend, erkenne: Śiva allein—Śivaṅkara, der Spender des Heilsamen—ist der Höchste, auf den zu meditieren ist, der Herr der Herren der Götter. So endet die Atharvaṇī-Offenbarung (śruti).

Word by Word

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• anyat: other
• anyat: Visheshaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'sarvam' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), कर्तरि; पूर्वक्रिया—'having abandoned'

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• śivaṃ-karaḥ: the bestower of auspiciousness
• śivaṃ-karaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्मधारयभावे: शिवं करोति/शिवकरः = auspicious-maker)

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Visheshaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'dhyeyaḥ' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• dhyeyaḥ: to be meditated upon
• dhyeyaḥ: Vidheya (विधेय/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyeya (प्रातिपदिक; √dhyai धातोः यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय—'to be meditated upon'

• adhideva-īśaḥ: Lord over the presiding deities
• adhideva-īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhideva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अधिदेवानाम् ईशः)

• samāptā: is concluded/ended
• samāptā: Kriya (क्रिया/statement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'śrutiḥ' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ātharvaṇī: Atharvaṇī (pertaining to Atharva Veda)
• ātharvaṇī: Visheshaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātharvaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'śrutiḥ' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• śrutiḥ: the śruti/vedic revelation
• śrutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; it is a doctrinal closure invoking ‘Ātharvaṇī śruti’ authority: Śiva alone is the supreme dhyeya, Lord over the gods.

Significance: Affirms exclusive orientation (ananya-bhāva) toward Pati (Śiva) as the highest contemplative goal, aligning the sādhaka toward mokṣa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches exclusive refuge (ananya-śaraṇatā) in Śiva: renounce all secondary supports and meditate on Śiva as the supreme Pati (Lord), the source of auspiciousness and liberation.

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

Though Śiva is declared the Supreme (paraḥ), the practical instruction is dhyāna—often carried out through saguna supports such as the Śiva-liṅga, mantra, and icon—so the mind becomes one-pointed on Śiva as Adhideveśa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Single-pointed Śiva-dhyāna supported by japa of Śiva-mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī) and steady contemplation of Śiva as Śivaṅkara; the verse emphasizes inner renunciation and focused meditation rather than a specific external rite.