Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

गौरीप्रवेशः—शिवसाक्षात्कारः

Gaurī’s Entry and the Vision of Śiva

Devanagari script

तं प्रेक्ष्याह पुनर्देवी देवानीतमुपायतम् । व्याघ्रं पश्य न चानेन सदृशो मदुपासकः

Transliteration

taṃ prekṣyāha punardevī devānītamupāyatam | vyāghraṃ paśya na cānena sadṛśo madupāsakaḥ

Translation

Seeing him again, the Goddess spoke, beholding that tiger who had been brought by the gods and had come near: “Look at this tiger—there is no devotee of mine equal to him.”

Word by Word

• tam: him/that (one)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• prekṣya: having looked at
• prekṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√īkṣ (ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): “having seen”

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (अह्/आह् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• punar: again
• punar: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• devī: the goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (देवी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• deva-ānītam: brought by the gods
• deva-ānītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + ānīta (आ-√nī, नी धातु; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तृ-तत्पुरुषः (“by the gods brought”)

• upāyatam: arrived/come near
• upāyatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upāyata (उपायत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vyāghram: the tiger
• vyāghram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (व्याघ्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• paśya: see/look
• paśya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• anena: by/with this (one)
• anena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• sadṛśaḥ: equal/similar
• sadṛśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (सदृश प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mad-upāsakaḥ: my devotee
• mad-upāsakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + upāsaka (उपासक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (“my worshipper”)

Speaker

The Goddess (Devī/Umā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Devas

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere devotion (upāsanā/bhakti) is recognized by the Divine regardless of external status or even species; what matters is inner surrender and steadfastness, which draws grace.

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

By praising a devotee’s steadfast worship, the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—devotion to the manifest Divine (Śiva/Devī) through reverent approach—showing that grace responds to heartfelt worship, the same principle underlying Liṅga-sevā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is unwavering daily upāsanā—regular japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a devotional attitude; if performed with humility and steadiness, it becomes the core practice, with optional supports like bhasma and rudrākṣa.