Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 164

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

अथ विद्या परा शैवी पशुपाशविमोचिनी । पञ्चार्थसंज्ञिता दिव्या पशुविद्याबहिष्कृता

Transliteration

atha vidyā parā śaivī paśupāśavimocinī | pañcārthasaṃjñitā divyā paśuvidyābahiṣkṛtā

Translation

Now is taught the supreme Śaiva Knowledge—the liberator of the paśu, the bound soul, from the pāśa, its fetters. It is the divine doctrine called the “Five Realities” (pañcārtha), standing apart from and transcending the lower, soul-bound modes of knowing.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)

• विद्या: knowledge/vidyā
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier of विद्या)

• शैवी: Śaiva (pertaining to Śiva)
• शैवी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तद्धित (derivative) from शिव

• पशु-पाश-विमोचिनी: liberator from the bonds of beings
• पशु-पाश-विमोचिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाश (प्रातिपदिक) + वि + मुच् (धातु) + णिनी (कृत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कृदन्त-विशेषण (agent noun) ‘विमोचिनी’ = ‘one who releases’; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘पशूनां पाशानां विमोचिनी’

• पञ्च-अर्थ-संज्ञिता: designated as ‘fivefold-meaning/with five categories’
• पञ्च-अर्थ-संज्ञिता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘संज्ञित’ (PPP from सं+ज्ञा) = ‘named’; समासः द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः ‘पञ्च अर्थाः यस्याः संज्ञा’

• दिव्या: divine
• दिव्या: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पशु-विद्या-बहिष्कृता: excluded from/kept beyond the ‘paśu-vidyā’
• पशु-विद्या-बहिष्कृता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + बहिष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘बहिष्कृत’ (PPP from बहिस् + कृ) = ‘excluded/kept outside’; समासः तत्पुरुषः ‘पशुविद्यया बहिष्कृता’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Shaiva Siddhanta’s liberating wisdom as the supreme knowledge: the doctrine that frees the paśu (bound soul) from pāśa (bondage) through understanding the fundamental realities (pañcārtha) centered on Śiva as the liberator.

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

By calling the teaching ‘Shaiva’ and ‘liberating,’ it frames Saguna worship—such as Linga devotion, mantra, and ritual—as a means within Śiva’s path that leads beyond limited, worldly knowing (paśu-vidyā) toward realization of Śiva as Pati and the soul’s release from bonds.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to a shift from merely worldly learning to liberating Shaiva practice—typically pursued through Śiva-mantra japa (e.g., pañcākṣarī), meditation on Śiva as Pati, and disciplined observances that weaken bondage and mature knowledge into liberation.