Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

स एव मोचकस्तेषां भक्त्या सम्यगुपासितः । चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वानि मायाकर्मगुणा अमी

Transliteration

sa eva mocakasteṣāṃ bhaktyā samyagupāsitaḥ | caturviṃśatitattvāni māyākarmaguṇā amī

Translation

He alone is their Liberator when worshipped rightly with devotion. These—namely the twenty‑four principles (tattvas), along with māyā, karma, and the guṇas—are the bonds that, by his grace, the soul transcends.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed; alone
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• मोचकः: liberator; releaser
• मोचकः: प्रत्यय/विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोचक (प्रातिपदिक; √मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-ण्वुल्/कृदन्त-आधारित नाम

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Karaṇa/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly; rightly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• उपासितः: worshipped/served
• उपासितः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु) → उपासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वानि: the twenty-four principles (tattvas)
• चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वानि: कर्ता/कर्म (Context-dependent: subject/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विंशति + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चतुर्विंशतिः संख्या)

• मायाकर्मगुणाः: māyā, karma, and the guṇas
• मायाकर्मगुणाः: कर्ता/कर्म (Context-dependent: subject/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया + कर्म + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (माया च कर्म च गुणाश्च)

• अमी: these/those (aforementioned)
• अमी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; निर्देशवाचक-सर्वनाम (those)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the sole Moksha-giver (Mocaka) and identifies the binding factors—tattvas, māyā, karma, and the guṇas—that are overcome through proper devotion and worship of Him.

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

By emphasizing “right worship with bhakti,” the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—such as Linga worship—as a valid, purifying means through which Shiva grants release from the bonds of māyā, karma, and guṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steady, correct upāsanā with bhakti—practically expressed through Shiva-japa (especially the Panchakshara), dhyāna on Shiva, and disciplined worship that aims at freedom from guṇa-driven karma.