Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् । संभृतप्राणसंचारः पाषाण इव निश्चलः

Transliteration

saṃprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan | saṃbhṛtaprāṇasaṃcāraḥ pāṣāṇa iva niścalaḥ

Translation

Den Blick auf die Spitze der eigenen Nase gerichtet und in keine Richtung schauend, mit sorgfältig gezügeltem Fluss des Prāṇa, blieb er reglos — wie ein Stein.

Word by Word

• संप्रेक्ष्य: having looked at; fixing the gaze
• संप्रेक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• नासिकाग्रम्: the tip of the nose
• नासिकाग्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक); नासिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नासिकायाः अग्रं)

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नासिकाग्रम्)

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

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

• अनवलोकयन्: not looking (around)
• अनवलोकयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + अव + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वकः (न अवलोकयन् = not looking)

• संभृतप्राणसंचारः: one whose breath-movement is restrained
• संभृतप्राणसंचारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संभृत-प्राण-संचार (प्रातिपदिक); संभृत (कृदन्त) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + संचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य प्राणसंचारः संभृतः/नियन्त्रितः सः’

• पाषाणः: a stone
• पाषाणः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• निश्चलः: motionless
• निश्चलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक); निः + चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संभृतप्राणसंचारः/योगी)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches yogic steadiness (sthira-dhyāna): withdrawing attention from external directions, restraining prāṇa, and becoming unmoving so the mind can rest in Shiva as Pati—the liberator beyond bondage (pāśa).

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

Such inner stillness supports Saguna worship by making the devotee fit for one-pointed contemplation—whether on the Shiva-Linga, Shiva’s form, or the mantra—so devotion becomes steady rather than scattered.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhāraṇā-prāṇāyāma practice: sit firmly, keep the gaze at the nose-tip (nā́sikāgra-dṛṣṭi), avoid looking around, gently restrain the breath, and then continue Shiva-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) in stillness.