Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

रागवंतं परे प्राहुर्वीतरागं तथा परे । निष्क्रियं च परे प्राहुः सक्रियं चेतरे जनाः

Transliteration

rāgavaṃtaṃ pare prāhurvītarāgaṃ tathā pare | niṣkriyaṃ ca pare prāhuḥ sakriyaṃ cetare janāḥ

Translation

Manche sagen, Er sei von Leidenschaft und Anhaftung (rāga) erfüllt; andere sagen, Er sei frei von Leidenschaft (vītarāga). Einige nennen Ihn untätig (niṣkriya), während andere sagen, Er sei tätig (sakriya).

Word by Word

• रागवन्तम्: passionate; having attachment
• रागवन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रागवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग (Accusative singular neuter as predicate/attribute)

• परे: others (some people)
• परे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• प्राहुः: said; call
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वीतरागम्: free from attachment
• वीतरागम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत + राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वीतः रागः यस्य/यत्र); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निष्क्रियम्: inactive
• निष्क्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्क्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्राहुः: said; call
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सक्रियम्: active
• सक्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सक्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• इतरे: others (the rest)
• इतरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva transcends limiting categories: devotees perceive Him as both nirguṇa (beyond passion and action) and saguna (graciously manifest and active), depending on their standpoint and spiritual maturity.

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

Linga-worship holds both truths together: the Linga signifies the formless, actionless Absolute, yet it is also the accessible form through which Shiva actively bestows grace, purification, and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both stillness and divine activity while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), letting attachment (rāga) fall away into vītarāga awareness.