Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

आगत्यागत्य शीर्णेषु शरीरेषु शरीरिणः । अत्यंतवसतिः क्वापि न केनापि च लभ्यते

Transliteration

āgatyāgatya śīrṇeṣu śarīreṣu śarīriṇaḥ | atyaṃtavasatiḥ kvāpi na kenāpi ca labhyate

Translation

Again and again the embodied soul comes and goes among bodies that decay. Nowhere is an utterly permanent dwelling attained by anyone—only by taking refuge in the Supreme Lord Shiva, the liberating Pati, is one freed from bondage and made to abide.

Word by Word

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having come’

• आगत्य: again and again coming
• आगत्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• शीर्णेषु: in decayed (ones)
• शीर्णेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; √शॄ/शृ ‘to decay’ क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• शरीरेषु: in bodies
• शरीरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• शरीरिणः: of the embodied being
• शरीरिणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (or प्रथमा बहुवचन by form; here best as gen. sg. with ‘vasatiḥ’)

• अत्यन्तवसतिः: permanent abode
• अत्यन्तवसतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्यन्त-वसति (प्रातिपदिक: अत्यन्त + वसति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (atyantā vasatiḥ)

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययसमासवत् प्रयोग (indefinite adverb: anywhere)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• केनापि: by anyone
• केनापि: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अनिश्चित (indefinite: by anyone)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: is obtained)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches vairāgya: all embodied existence is impermanent, and no lasting refuge is found in worldly “homes” or bodies; true stability is only in turning to Shiva as the liberating Lord (Pati).

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

The Linga worship centers the mind on the changeless reality of Shiva amid changing bodies; Saguna Shiva becomes the accessible refuge through whom the jīva transcends samsaric coming-and-going.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with meditation on impermanence, supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to seek the eternal in Shiva rather than the perishing body.