Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामो व्रतं पाशुपतं परम् । ब्रह्मादयो ऽपि यत्कृत्वा सर्वे पाशुपताः स्मृताः

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | bhagavañchrotumicchāmo vrataṃ pāśupataṃ param | brahmādayo 'pi yatkṛtvā sarve pāśupatāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Los sabios dijeron: «Oh venerable, deseamos escuchar acerca del supremo voto Pāśupata; al cumplirlo, incluso Brahmā y los demás dioses son tenidos por Pāśupatas (devotos de Paśupati, el Señor Śiva)».

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to hear’

• इच्छामः: we desire
• इच्छामः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पाशुपतम्: Pāśupata
• पाशुपतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्रतम् इति विशेषणम्

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्रतम् इति विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्म-आदयः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्म-आदयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मा आदिः येषाम्/ब्रह्मा-प्रभृतयः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done/performed’

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पाशुपताः: Pāśupatas (followers of Paśupati)
• पाशुपताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are regarded/called
• स्मृताः: क्रिया (Predicative/passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) कर्मणि-भाव (passive sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘are called/are remembered as’

Speaker

The sages (Ṛṣis) addressing Sūta Gosvāmin (the narrator) in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā context

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames the Pāśupata-vrata as a universally exalting observance—so potent that even the highest devas are counted as Paśupati’s followers by undertaking it.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes the Pāśupata Vrata as a supreme Shaiva discipline that transforms even the highest cosmic beings into devoted followers of Paśupati, implying that liberation and grace depend on Śiva-bhakti and right observance rather than status.

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

By seeking the Pāśupata observance, the sages point toward practical Saguna worship—vows, disciplines, and devotion directed to Paśupati, commonly expressed in Shiva Purana through Linga-centered worship and regulated Shaiva conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse introduces a vow-based Shaiva practice (vrata) centered on Paśupati; in the Shiva Purana this typically unfolds into disciplines such as mantra-japa, purity observances, and Shaiva marks like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa, as detailed in the subsequent narration.