Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

संकल्प्य च महातीव्रं तपः परमदुश्चरम् । सदा मनसि सन्धाय भर्तुश्चरणपंकजम्

Transliteration

saṃkalpya ca mahātīvraṃ tapaḥ paramaduścaram | sadā manasi sandhāya bhartuścaraṇapaṃkajam

Translation

Résolue à entreprendre une ascèse d’une intensité extrême, la plus difficile à accomplir, elle gardait sans cesse en son esprit les pieds de lotus de son Seigneur, Śiva.

Word by Word

• संकल्प्य: having resolved
• संकल्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having resolved’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महा-तीव्रम्: very intense; greatly severe
• महा-तीव्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महत् तीव्रम्) विशेषणम् (तपः)

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमदुश्चरम्: most difficult to perform
• परमदुश्चरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + दुश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमं दुश्चरम्) विशेषणम् (तपः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time), ‘always’

• मनसि: in the mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सन्धाय: having fixed; having focused
• सन्धाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having fixed/placed (attention)’

• भर्तुः: of the husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• चरणपङ्कजम्: lotus-feet
• चरणपङ्कजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चरणस्य पङ्कजम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that true tapas is not mere hardship but disciplined, unwavering God-remembrance—fixing the mind on Shiva’s lotus-feet—through which the soul turns toward Pati (the Lord) and matures in devotion and purity.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna-focused devotion: concentrating on Shiva’s sacred feet as a concrete support for meditation. In Linga-worship, the same principle applies—external worship becomes effective when the mind remains steadily anchored in Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Single-pointed dhyāna with tapas: keep the mind continuously on Shiva while performing japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and vrata discipline; the key instruction is unbroken inner fixation rather than occasional practice.