Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

स्रष्टारमपि विश्वस्य वेष्टितारं च तस्य तु । शिवमेवेश्वरं ज्ञात्वा शांतिमत्यंतमृच्छति

Transliteration

sraṣṭāramapi viśvasya veṣṭitāraṃ ca tasya tu | śivameveśvaraṃ jñātvā śāṃtimatyaṃtamṛcchati

Translation

Even if one knows the creator of the universe and the One who encompasses it, one attains the supreme peace only by realizing Śiva alone as the Supreme Lord (Pati).

Word by Word

• स्रष्टारम्: the creator
• स्रष्टारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; agent-noun (कर्तृवाचक)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वेष्टितारम्: the enveloper/one who surrounds
• वेष्टितारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेष्टितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agent-noun (one who envelops)

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

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विशेष/विरोधार्थक

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य (object of knowing)

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having known’

• शान्तिम्: peace
• शान्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अत्यन्तम्: completely/utterly
• अत्यन्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘exceedingly/utterly’

• ऋच्छति: attains
• ऋच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that true, unsurpassed peace (śānti) comes from recognizing Śiva as the highest Īśvara (Pati), beyond merely understanding cosmic roles like creation and universal governance.

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

It supports Saguna-upāsanā (such as Linga worship) as a practical means to realize the one Supreme Īśvara—Śiva—who stands above all functions of the cosmos; devotion matures into direct recognition (jñāna) of Śiva’s lordship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as the sole Īśvara while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and offering worship to the Śiva-liṅga, aiming for inner stillness and supreme peace rather than only worldly boons.