Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

तेषां पतित्वाद्देवेशः शिवः पशुपतिः स्मृतः । मलमायादिभिः पाशैः स बध्नाति पशून्पतिः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ patitvāddeveśaḥ śivaḥ paśupatiḥ smṛtaḥ | malamāyādibhiḥ pāśaiḥ sa badhnāti paśūnpatiḥ

Translation

Porque es el Señor de ellos, Deva-īśa Śiva es recordado como Paśupati. Ese Señor ata a los paśus con los grilletes (pāśas) tales como mala (impureza innata), māyā y los demás.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पतित्वात्: because of (his) lordship
• पतित्वात्: हेतु/अपादान (Hetu/Ablative cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त

• देवेशः: Lord of the gods
• देवेशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पशुपतिः: Paśupati
• पशुपतिः: प्रत्यय/विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पशूनां पतिः)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/called
• स्मृतः: क्रिया (Predicative passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• मलमायादिभिः: by bonds such as impurity and māyā
• मलमायादिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल + माया + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/समुच्चयार्थे ‘आदि’ (etc.)-तत्पुरुषः

• पाशैः: by bonds/nooses
• पाशैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• बध्नाति: binds
• बध्नाति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पशून्: the beings
• पशून्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पतिः: the lord
• पतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Pashupati

FAQs

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

It states the Shaiva Siddhanta triad: the soul (paśu) is bound by fetters (pāśa) like mala and māyā, while Shiva alone is the supreme Lord (Pati/Paśupati) who governs bondage and ultimately grants liberation.

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

Worship of Shiva in saguna form—especially as the Linga—centers the seeker on Paśupati, the Lord who can remove bondage. Devotion and inner discipline offered to the Linga are directed to the same transcendent Pati who rules over māyā and impurity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pursue purification and God-remembrance: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shaiva disciplines (such as bhasma/tripundra and Rudraksha with steady meditation) aimed at loosening the pāśas of mala and māyā.