Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

अन्तराय-उपसर्ग-विवेचनम् / Analysis of Yogic Obstacles (Antarāyas) and Upasargas

Devanagari script

अप्रतिष्ठा हि मनसस्त्वनवस्थितिरुच्यते । अश्रद्धा भावरहिता वृत्तिर्वै योगवर्त्मनि

Transliteration

apratiṣṭhā hi manasastvanavasthitirucyate | aśraddhā bhāvarahitā vṛttirvai yogavartmani

Translation

„Mangel an Verankerung“ heißt, so sagt man, die Unbeständigkeit des Geistes. Und auf dem Pfad des Yoga ist auch die Regung des Geistes, der śraddhā (Glauben) fehlt und der ohne inneres bhāva, ohne hingebungsvolle Empfindung ist, wahrlich eine weitere Form dieser Unbeständigkeit.

Word by Word

• अप्रतिष्ठा: lack of stability
• अप्रतिष्ठा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद (negated noun)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विभेद-निपात (adversative particle: but)

• अनवस्थितिः: unsteadiness, عدم-स्थिरता
• अनवस्थितिः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-नवस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• अश्रद्धा: lack of faith
• अश्रद्धा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद

• भाव-रहिता: devoid of inner feeling/conviction
• भाव-रहिता: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + रहित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भावेन रहिता = devoid of feeling/inner disposition)

• वृत्तिः: mental modification; tendency
• वृत्तिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ-निपात (emphatic particle)

• योग-वर्त्मनि: on the path of yoga
• योग-वर्त्मनि: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य वर्त्म = path of yoga)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva yogic doctrine to the sages at Naimisharanya in the Vāyavīya Saṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true yogic steadiness is not merely technique—when the mind lacks a firm grounding in śraddhā (faith) and bhāva (inner devotional feeling toward Pati, Lord Shiva), it becomes unstable, and such instability obstructs liberation.

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

Linga-worship and Saguna Shiva upāsanā cultivate śraddhā and bhāva, which stabilize the mind’s vṛttis; without these, practice becomes dry and wavering, whereas devotion to Shiva gives the mind a steady support for meditation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to pair meditation with faith-filled Shiva devotion—regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and focused Linga-dhyāna to restore śraddhā and bhāva, making the mind steady on the yogic path.