Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

शिवस्वभाव एवैकश्चिंत्यते निरुपाधिकः । यथा शैवमनोवृत्तिर्महायोग इहोच्यते

Transliteration

śivasvabhāva evaikaściṃtyate nirupādhikaḥ | yathā śaivamanovṛttirmahāyoga ihocyate

Translation

Only the very nature of Śiva is to be contemplated—free from all limiting adjuncts. In this way, the Śaiva orientation of the mind is here declared to be the Great Yoga, Mahā-yoga.

Word by Word

• शिव-स्वभावः: Śiva’s own nature
• शिव-स्वभावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• एकः: one/unique
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• चिन्त्यते: is contemplated
• चिन्त्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• निरुपाधिकः: without limiting adjuncts
• निरुपाधिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुपाधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार (as/just as)

• शैव-मनोवृत्तिः: Śaiva mental modification/attitude
• शैव-मनोवृत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• महायोगः: the great yoga
• महायोगः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: here/in this context)

• उच्यते: is called/said
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation-oriented meditation should rest in Śiva’s essential reality, beyond limiting conditions, and that making the mind wholly Śaiva in orientation itself constitutes “Mahāyoga.”

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

Liṅga and saguna worship steady the mind and purify attention; when that worship matures, the devotee contemplates the nirupādhi (unconditioned) nature of Śiva—seeing the Liṅga as the gateway to the formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A focused Śiva-dhyāna: establish a Śaiva mental current (śaiva-manovṛtti) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and inward contemplation of Śiva as free from all upādhis.