Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

गुरोरधिकृतं ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं पाशः पशुः पतिः । लिंगार्चनाद्यनुष्ठेयं भक्तस्त्वधिकृतो ऽपि यः

Transliteration

guroradhikṛtaṃ jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ pāśaḥ paśuḥ patiḥ | liṃgārcanādyanuṣṭheyaṃ bhaktastvadhikṛto 'pi yaḥ

Translation

The knowledge sanctioned by the Guru is to be understood as the true teaching—namely, the knowable triad: Pāśa (bondage), Paśu (the bound soul), and Pati (the Lord). And the duly qualified devotee should perform the prescribed observances, beginning with the worship of the Śiva-liṅga.

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Genitive singular ‘of the guru’

• अधिकृतम्: authorized/assigned
• अधिकृतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि + कृ (धातु) → अधिकृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘authorized/assigned’; विशेषण of ज्ञानम्

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: विषय (Topic/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nom./Acc. singular (topic item)

• ज्ञेयम्: the knowable
• ज्ञेयम्: विषय (Topic/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘knowable/to be known’

• पाशः: bond/fetter
• पाशः: विषय (Topic/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Nominative singular (enumerated entity)

• पशुः: the bound soul (paśu)
• पशुः: विषय (Topic/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• पतिः: the Lord (pati)
• पतिः: विषय (Topic/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• लिङ्गार्चनादि: liṅga-worship and the like
• लिङ्गार्चनादि: विषय (Topic/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + अर्चन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — used as prior member; तत्पुरुष ‘liṅga-worship etc.’ (अर्चनस्य लिङ्गम्; आदि = etc.)

• अनुष्ठेयम्: the to-be-performed (observance)
• अनुष्ठेयम्: विषय (Topic/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु + स्था (धातु) → अनुष्ठेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘to be performed’ (practice)

• भक्तः: a devotee
• भक्तः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Nominative singular ‘devotee’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय — particle ‘but/indeed’

• अधिकृतः: is authorized/eligible
• अधिकृतः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि + कृ (धातु) → अधिकृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — ‘authorized/eligible’ (predicate of भक्तः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-अव्यय — particle ‘also/even’

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Relative pronoun ‘who’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru

FAQs

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

It establishes that true liberating knowledge is received through the Guru and centers on the Shaiva triad—Pāśa (bondage), Paśu (the soul), and Pati (Śiva)—so that practice and realization proceed in the right direction toward mokṣa.

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

It links philosophy to sādhana: understanding Pati as Śiva is supported by concrete worship, beginning with liṅgārcana, where Saguna devotion becomes a disciplined means for purification and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse explicitly recommends observances starting with Śiva-liṅga worship (liṅgārcana); in practice this commonly includes mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offerings, and regular disciplined devotion under the Guru’s guidance.