Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution

Devanagari script

व्यापिकातः परा शक्तिरविभक्ता षडध्वनाम् । परप्रकृतिभावस्य तत्सत्त्वाच्छिवतत्त्वतः

Transliteration

vyāpikātaḥ parā śaktiravibhaktā ṣaḍadhvanām | paraprakṛtibhāvasya tatsattvācchivatattvataḥ

Translation

En raison de sa nature qui pénètre tout, la Puissance suprême (Śakti) demeure indivise à travers les six voies (ṣaḍ-adhvan). Et puisque l’état de la Prakṛti supérieure (Parā Prakṛti) existe réellement, il est fondé sur le principe même de Śiva (Śiva-tattva).

Word by Word

• vyāpikātaḥ: from the all-pervading (power)
• vyāpikātaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāpikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• parā: supreme
• parā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with śaktiḥ

• śaktiḥ: Power (Śakti)
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• avibhaktā: undivided
• avibhaktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vibhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with śaktiḥ

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण), indeclinable-like stem; qualifying adhvanām

• adhvanām: of the paths/courses
• adhvanām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• para-prakṛti-bhāvasya: of the state/nature of the supreme Prakṛti
• para-prakṛti-bhāvasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: paraprakṛteḥ bhāvaḥ

• tat-sattvāt: because of its reality/essence
• tat-sattvāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: tasya sattvāt

• śiva-tattvataḥ: from/owing to the principle of Śiva
• śiva-tattvataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); ablative with -taḥ: ‘from/owing to’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: ṣaḍadhvā framework: undivided Parāśakti across the six paths (kalā, tattva, bhuvana, varṇa, pada, mantra)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Parāśakti is not a separate, fragmented force but the undivided, all-pervading power of Śiva, present through every level of reality (the ṣaḍadhvā), and therefore the basis for liberation when known rightly.

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

In Linga worship, the devotee approaches Saguna forms and rituals, yet this verse clarifies the metaphysical ground: the power experienced through worship is ultimately Parāśakti inseparable from Śiva-tattva, making external worship a doorway to inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as all-pervading (vyāpaka) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), contemplating that Śiva-Śakti is one undivided reality pervading all stages of manifestation.