Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

शिवतत्त्वे परापरभावविचारः

Inquiry into Śiva’s Principle and the Parā–Aparā Paradox

Devanagari script

तमेव जलसंधायी शूलेनैव जघान सः । तच्चक्रं तपसा लब्ध्वा लब्धवीर्यो हरिस्सदा

Transliteration

tameva jalasaṃdhāyī śūlenaiva jaghāna saḥ | taccakraṃ tapasā labdhvā labdhavīryo harissadā

Translation

Then he—Jalasaṃdhāyī—struck down that very one with the trident alone. And Hari, having obtained that discus through austerity (tapas), ever remained endowed with the power born of tapas.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Prayojaka (वाक्य-बल/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle; only/indeed)

• जल-संधायी: the water-joining/embanking one
• जल-संधायी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + संधायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from धा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जलस्य संधायी = one who joins/blocks with water; epithet)

• शूलेन: with a trident/spear
• शूलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Prayojaka (वाक्य-बल/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्-चक्रम्: that discus
• तत्-चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (तत् चक्रम् = that discus)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• लब्ध-वीर्यः: having obtained prowess/strength
• लब्ध-वीर्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लब्धं वीर्यं यस्य)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It highlights that true victory over destructive forces comes through the Lord’s divine agency (here symbolized by the trident) and that spiritual power is rooted in tapas—disciplined inner purification—rather than mere worldly strength.

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

The trident signifies Saguna Shiva’s protective and corrective grace in the manifested world. Linga-worship aligns the devotee to that same Pati-tattva—Shiva as the supreme Lord who subdues impurities and restores dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implicitly praises tapas: daily japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), observance of vrata (especially on Mahāśivarātri), and meditation on Shiva as Pati to gain steadiness and spiritual potency.