Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

नैनमूर्ध्वं न तिर्यक्च न मध्यं पर्यजिग्रहत् । न तस्य प्रतिमा चास्ति यस्य नाम महद्यशः

Transliteration

nainamūrdhvaṃ na tiryakca na madhyaṃ paryajigrahat | na tasya pratimā cāsti yasya nāma mahadyaśaḥ

Translation

Neither above, nor across, nor in the middle could anyone encompass Him. For that Greatly Glorious One—whose very name is renowned—there is no limiting image or fixed likeness.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• enam: him/this one
• enam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ūrdhvam: upwards/above
• ūrdhvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial accusative 'upwards'

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• tiryak: sideways
• tiryak: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tiryak (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (अव्यय) meaning 'sideways/horizontally'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• madhyam: the middle
• madhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial accusative 'in the middle'

• paryajigrahat: grasped/covered
• paryajigrahat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + grah (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with preverb pari-; 'seized/grasps/covered' in past narrative

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pratimā: image, likeness
• pratimā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with nāma

• yaśaḥ: fame, glory
• yaśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); appositional to nāma

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the immeasurable Pati—beyond spatial categories and beyond the mind’s power to fully circumscribe—guiding the seeker from limited concepts toward liberating knowledge and surrender.

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

Although Shiva is ultimately without a limiting “pratimā,” the Linga functions as a sacred, non-anthropomorphic focus for Saguna worship—pointing the devotee toward the Nirguna reality it signifies rather than confining Shiva to a finite form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as beyond measure while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), letting the mind release rigid images and rest in reverent awareness of the limitless Lord.