Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

व्याप्यव्यापकता तेन ज्ञातुमेव न शक्यते । तस्मादध्वस्वरूपं च व्याप्यव्यापकतां तथा

Transliteration

vyāpyavyāpakatā tena jñātumeva na śakyate | tasmādadhvasvarūpaṃ ca vyāpyavyāpakatāṃ tathā

Translation

By that limited means, the relation of the pervaded and the pervader cannot truly be known. Therefore one should understand both the nature of adḥvan and the very principle of pervasion—that the Lord is immanent in all and yet transcendent as the all-pervading Pati.

Word by Word

• vyāpya-vyāpakatā: pervadedness and pervader-hood
• vyāpya-vyāpakatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāpya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + vyāpakatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative: vyāpya + vyāpakatā); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• tena: by that; by him/it
• tena: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सामान्य

• jñātum: to know
• jñātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); अर्थः—ज्ञातुम् (to know)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• śakyate: is possible
• śakyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śak (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगसदृश (impersonal/passive sense: 'it is possible')

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतुः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; अर्थः—तस्मात् (therefore/from that)

• adhva-svarūpam: the essential nature of the path (adhvan)
• adhva-svarūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvan (प्रातिपदिक) + sva-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अध्वनः स्वरूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• vyāpya-vyāpakatām: pervadedness and pervader-hood
• vyāpya-vyāpakatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāpya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + vyāpakatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise; thus
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); अर्थः—तथा (thus/likewise)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the mystery of Shiva’s immanence (being within all) and transcendence (being beyond all) cannot be grasped by ordinary, limited cognition; liberation requires right understanding of the adhvan (levels of manifestation) and recognition of Shiva as the all-pervading Pati.

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

The Linga is a saguna support for realizing the same truth hinted here: Shiva is present within every form (vyāpya) while also exceeding every form as the pervader (vyāpaka). Linga-worship trains the mind to perceive pervasion without reducing Shiva to a mere object.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva’s pervasion during japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—seeing all tattvas and experiences as ‘pervaded’ while holding Shiva as the inner Lord; this can be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as aids to steadiness and Shaiva remembrance.