Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

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

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । शैवं संक्षिप्य वेदोक्तं शिवेन परिभाषितम् । स्तुतिनिंदादिरहितं सद्यः प्रत्ययकारणम्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | śaivaṃ saṃkṣipya vedoktaṃ śivena paribhāṣitam | stutiniṃdādirahitaṃ sadyaḥ pratyayakāraṇam

Translation

Upamanyu sprach: „Diese śaivische Lehre—aus dem in den Veden Gesagten verdichtet und von Śiva selbst erläutert—ist frei von Lob und Tadel und dergleichen und wird zur unmittelbaren Ursache direkter geistiger Gewissheit (pratyaya).“

Word by Word

• upamanyuḥ: Upamanyu
• upamanyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upamanyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथम), Singular; Parasmaipada

• śaivam: the Śaiva (teaching)
• śaivam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• saṃkṣipya: having summarized
• saṃkṣipya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√kṣip (धातु) → saṃkṣipya (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); ‘having condensed/summarized’

• veda-uktam: said in the Veda
• veda-uktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त, क्त; √vac)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘vedena uktam’

• śivena: by Śiva
• śivena: Kartṛ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• paribhāṣitam: explained, defined
• paribhāṣitam: Karma (कर्म/Object; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√bhāṣ (धातु) → paribhāṣita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Past Passive Participle (क्त)

• stuti-nindā-ādi-rahitam: free from praise, blame, etc.
• stuti-nindā-ādi-rahitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stuti (प्रातिपदिक) + nindā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समास: द्वन्द्व (stuti+nindā) + ādi, then तृतीया/पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष with rahita ‘free from…’

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• pratyaya-kāraṇam: a cause of conviction/faith
• pratyaya-kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘pratyayasya kāraṇam’

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts that Śaiva doctrine is Veda-grounded and Śiva-expounded, and that its impartial, non-sectarian clarity (beyond mere praise/blame) generates immediate inner certainty—supporting the Shaiva Siddhānta aim of right knowledge leading toward liberation.

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

By emphasizing a Vedic teaching clarified by Śiva, the verse frames Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) as a disciplined, scripturally rooted path meant to produce direct spiritual conviction, not merely emotional praise or polemical criticism.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to adopt Veda-aligned Śaiva practice that yields pratyaya—steady inner assurance—such as daily Shiva-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) performed with even-mindedness beyond praise and blame.