Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 43

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

स्वयमप्यवतीर्योर्व्यां युगावर्तेषु शूलधृक् । स्वाश्रितानां विमुक्त्यर्थं कुरुते ज्ञानसंततिम्

Transliteration

svayamapyavatīryorvyāṃ yugāvarteṣu śūladhṛk | svāśritānāṃ vimuktyarthaṃ kurute jñānasaṃtatim

Translation

Selbst Er, der Herr, der den Dreizack trägt, steigt aus eigenem Willen in den Wendungen der Weltzeitalter in die Welt herab; und um jene zu befreien, die bei Ihm Zuflucht genommen haben, stiftet Er eine ununterbrochene Folge rettender Erkenntnis.

Word by Word

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), additive/emphatic

• avatīrya: having descended
• avatīrya: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√tṝ (धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Kridanta (कृदन्त), absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having descended’

• urvyām: on the earth
• urvyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urvī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yuga-āvarteṣu: in the cycles/turnings of the ages
• yuga-āvarteṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + āvarta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘yugasya āvarteṣu’

• śūla-dhṛk: the trident-bearer
• śūla-dhṛk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛ (धातु) → dhṛk (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); Kridanta agent-noun (धारक), Tatpuruṣa ‘śūlaṃ dharati’

• svāśritānām: of those who have taken refuge in him
• svāśritānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrita (कृदन्त, √śri)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) (generic), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa ‘svam āśritāḥ’ (those who have taken refuge in him)

• vimukti-artham: for the sake of liberation
• vimukti-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimukti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa ‘vimuktyāḥ artham’ (purpose)

• kurute: does/creates
• kurute: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• jñāna-saṃtatim: a continuous stream/series of knowledge
• jñāna-saṃtatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃtati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa ‘jñānasya saṃtatiḥ’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General jyotirliṅga theology: Śiva manifests for devotees’ liberation; this verse aligns with the pan-Indian motif of Śiva’s self-manifesting grace rather than a single site legend.

Significance: Frames tīrtha and darśana as instruments of anugraha: Śiva’s descent and teaching lineage are for vimukti of śaraṇāgata devotees.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: yuga-āvarteṣu (turnings of the ages): periodic divine descent/renewal of salvific teaching.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva (Pati) compassionately manifests in the world at critical yuga-junctures to transmit liberating knowledge, ensuring that sincere refuge (śaraṇāgati) culminates in vimukti (moksha).

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

Shiva’s descent and “stream of knowledge” are accessed by devotees through Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—where discipline, devotion, and right understanding mature into the grace that cuts the bonds (pāśa) and leads to liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take refuge in Shiva through steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with contemplative study of Shaiva teachings (jñāna) so that devotion is guided by right insight toward moksha.