Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

पशोरपि च कर्तृत्वं पत्युः प्रेरणपूर्वकम् । अयथाकरणज्ञानमंधस्य गमनं यथा

Transliteration

paśorapi ca kartṛtvaṃ patyuḥ preraṇapūrvakam | ayathākaraṇajñānamaṃdhasya gamanaṃ yathā

Translation

Even the bound soul as paśu has agency only when preceded by the Lord Pati’s impelling will. Its knowing and acting without true discernment is like the movement of a blind person—going on, yet not seeing the right way.

Word by Word

• पशोः: of an animal
• पशोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

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

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर्तृत्वम्: agency/doership
• कर्तृत्वम्: कर्म (कर्मपद/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृत्व (प्रातिपदिक; कर्तृ + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; abstract noun

• पत्युः: of the master/lord
• पत्युः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• प्रेरणपूर्वकम्: preceded by/caused by prompting
• प्रेरणपूर्वकम्: विशेषण (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेरण + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (instrumental/causal sense: प्रेरणया पूर्वकम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with कर्तृत्वम्

• अयथाकरणज्ञानम्: knowledge of improper action
• अयथाकरणज्ञानम्: उपमान/दृष्टान्त-वस्तु (दृष्टान्तपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयथा + करण + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘improper-action knowledge/understanding’

• अन्धस्य: of a blind man
• अन्धस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• गमनम्: going/movement
• गमनम्: उपमान/दृष्टान्त-वस्तु (दृष्टान्तपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; action noun

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: उपमान-सम्बन्ध (दृष्टान्तसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta view that the bound soul (paśu) appears to act, yet its capacity to act is enabled and directed by Pati (Shiva); without right knowledge it moves like a blind person, so liberation requires Shiva’s grace and true discernment.

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

Linga-worship trains surrender of egoic doership and invokes Shiva’s anugraha (grace). By turning to Saguna Shiva through the Linga, the paśu’s ‘blind’ action is corrected into dharmic, insight-guided living that leads toward moksha.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a spirit of offering doership to Shiva; accompany it with Shiva-puja (Linga abhisheka) and, where traditional, Tripundra-bhasma and Rudraksha as aids to steady, grace-oriented awareness.