Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

पद्मं तस्याप्यभावे तु केवलं भावनामयम् । तत्पद्मकर्णिकामध्ये कृत्वा लिंगं कनीयसम्

Transliteration

padmaṃ tasyāpyabhāve tu kevalaṃ bhāvanāmayam | tatpadmakarṇikāmadhye kṛtvā liṃgaṃ kanīyasam

Translation

Let the sādhaka take a lotus; and if even that is unavailable, let it be a lotus formed purely by contemplation. In the very center of that lotus—within its pericarp—he should place (or visualize) a small Śiva-liṅga.

Word by Word

• padmam: lotus
• padmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of that; its
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• abhāve: in the absence
• abhāve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but; however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative particle (विरोध/अन्वय-निपात)

• kevalam: only; mere
• kevalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with bhāvanāmayam/padmam (elliptic)

• bhāvanāmayam: made of contemplation/visualization
• bhāvanāmayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvanā-maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: bhāvanā + maya (‘consisting of’)

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन) used as first member in compound (prātipadika form)

• padma: lotus
• padma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter stem used in compound

• karṇikā: pericarp; central whorl
• karṇikā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine stem used in compound

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛtvā: having made/placed
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having done/made’

• liṅgam: liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• kanīyasam: smaller
• kanīyasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); comparative degree (तर/यसुन् sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-upāsanā is not limited by external materials: when a physical lotus is unavailable, the devotee may worship through pure bhāvanā (inner contemplation), placing the subtle Liṅga in the heart-lotus as a disciplined yogic act.

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

The Liṅga here functions as a saguna support (ālambana) for meditation—an approachable form through which the mind becomes steady and devotion is focused, leading toward deeper realization of Śiva as Pati beyond limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna practice: visualize a lotus (physical or mental) and install a small, subtle Liṅga in its center, then proceed with inner pūjā—often accompanied by japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) according to one’s tradition.