Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

न पुनश्चक्रवर्ती स्याच्छिवधर्माधिकारवान् । तस्माच्च्छिवाश्रितो भूत्वा येन केनापि हेतुना

Transliteration

na punaścakravartī syācchivadharmādhikāravān | tasmāccchivāśrito bhūtvā yena kenāpi hetunā

Translation

Yet a universal monarch (cakravartin) is not truly one who holds authority in the Dharma of Śiva. Therefore, taking refuge in Śiva—by whatever cause or pretext—one becomes fit for Śiva’s path and its higher fruit.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/further)

• cakravartī: a universal monarch (cakravartin)
• cakravartī: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakravartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; -in-प्रातिपदिक (nominative singular)

• syāt: would be / should be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śiva-dharma-adhikāravān: one having authority/entitlement in Śiva-dharma
• śiva-dharma-adhikāravān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of cakravartī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + adhikāra-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शिवधर्मे अधिकारः यस्य)

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान/from that)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śiva-āśritaḥ: having taken refuge in Śiva
• śiva-āśritaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; participial subject with bhūtvā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrita (आश्रित, कृदन्त from ā-śri धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘शिवम् आश्रितः’

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having become’

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa (करण/by which)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kena: by some (means)
• kena: Karaṇa (करण/by some)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• api: even/any
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-प्रयोग (particle: even/also/any)

• hetunā: by a cause/reason
• hetunā: Karaṇa (करण/means, cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Devalues worldly sovereignty relative to Śiva-dharma qualification; teaches that refuge (śaraṇāgati) in Śiva is the true authority leading beyond concealment.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worldly supremacy (even cakravartin status) does not equal true spiritual qualification; taking refuge in Pati (Śiva) is presented as the decisive turning-point toward Śiva-dharma and liberation.

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

“Taking refuge in Śiva” is practically expressed through Saguna worship—especially devotion to the Śiva-liṅga, mantra, and daily observances—by which the bound soul (paśu) aligns with Pati and loosens the bonds (pāśa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is śaraṇāgati expressed as regular Śiva-upāsanā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), liṅga-pūjā, and adopting Śaiva marks like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) where appropriate.