Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्त्यात्मेत्यपरे संप्रचक्षते । तुरीयमपरे प्राहुस्तुर्यातीतमितीतरे

Transliteration

jāgratsvapnasuṣuptyātmetyapare saṃpracakṣate | turīyamapare prāhusturyātītamitītare

Translation

Manche beschreiben das Selbst (Ātman) als das, was im Wachen, Träumen und Tiefschlaf weilt. Andere verkünden einen vierten Zustand (turīya). Wieder andere sprechen von dem, was selbst den vierten übersteigt (turīyātīta) — der höchsten Wirklichkeit jenseits aller Zustände.

Word by Word

• जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-सुषुप्ति-आत्मा: (as) waking, dream, and deep-sleep self
• जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-सुषुप्ति-आत्मा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāgrat (प्रातिपदिक) + svapna (प्रातिपदिक) + suṣupti (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार/इतरेतर-भाव: ‘जाग्रत् च स्वप्नः च सुषुप्तिः च’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘आत्मा’ प्रधान

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-बोधक अव्यय (quotative)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural) — ‘others’

• संप्रचक्षते: declare/describe
• संप्रचक्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pra-√cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• तुरीयम्: the fourth (state)
• तुरीयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्राहुः: say
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तुर्यातीतम्: that which is beyond the fourth
• तुर्यातीतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turya (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘तुर्यं अतीतम्’ = ‘beyond the fourth’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-बोधक अव्यय

• इतरे: others
• इतरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘others (the rest)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It classifies spiritual realization beyond ordinary experience: first the three states, then turīya (the witnessing consciousness), and finally turīyātīta—pointing to Shiva as the supreme reality transcending all conditions, the goal of liberation.

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

Linga worship begins with saguna focus (form and symbol) to steady the mind; through devotion and contemplation the seeker is led to the formless, state-transcending Shiva indicated here as turīyātīta.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative witnessing of the three states, supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shaiva disciplines like Bhasma (Tripundra) and Rudraksha, to abide in turīya and mature toward state-transcendent realization.