Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 83

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

कथं दुःखमदुःखं स्यात्स्वभावो ह्यविपर्ययः । न हि रोगी ह्यरोगी स्याद्भिषग्भैषज्यकारणात्

Transliteration

kathaṃ duḥkhamaduḥkhaṃ syātsvabhāvo hyaviparyayaḥ | na hi rogī hyarogī syādbhiṣagbhaiṣajyakāraṇāt

Translation

How could what is truly suffering become non-suffering? For one’s intrinsic nature does not reverse. A sick man does not become healthy merely because a physician and medicine exist as causes.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• दुःखम्: pain; suffering
• दुःखम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अदुःखम्: non-pain; absence of suffering
• अदुःखम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate complement)

• स्यात्: could be; would become
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वभावः: nature; inherent character
• स्वभावः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Reason particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थ (particle: ‘for/indeed’)

• अविपर्ययः: non-inverted; not otherwise (unchanging)
• अविपर्ययः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + विपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘स्वभावः’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थ (particle: ‘indeed’)

• रोगी: a sick person
• रोगी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थ (particle)

• अरोगी: a healthy person
• अरोगी: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate complement)

• स्यात्: could be; would become
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भिषग्-भैषज्य-कारणात्: because of the physician and the medicine as the cause
• भिषग्-भैषज्य-कारणात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिषग् (प्रातिपदिक) + भैषज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause): ‘because of the cause consisting in physician/medicine’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

FAQs

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

It teaches that suffering rooted in one’s conditioned nature (bondage/paśa) is not removed by the mere presence of external supports; real freedom requires inner transformation—knowledge, disciplined practice, and ultimately Śiva’s grace as Pati.

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

Liṅga-worship is not presented as a mere external ‘cause’ like medicine; it is a means to awaken devotion and purity so that consciousness turns to Śiva (Saguna as accessible Lord), culminating in the removal of bondage through His anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use ritual as inner cure: steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with dhyāna on Śiva, supported by śaucā (purity) and vairāgya—so the ‘disease’ of bondage is actually treated, not merely surrounded by remedies.