Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

एवं प्रक्षीणपापस्य बहुभिर्जन्मभिः क्रमात् । सांबे सर्वेश्वरे भक्तिर्ज्ञानपूर्वा प्रजायते

Transliteration

evaṃ prakṣīṇapāpasya bahubhirjanmabhiḥ kramāt | sāṃbe sarveśvare bhaktirjñānapūrvā prajāyate

Translation

Ainsi, pour celui dont les péchés se sont consumés, au fil de nombreuses naissances et peu à peu, naît la dévotion—précédée de la vraie connaissance—envers Sāmba, le Seigneur de tous.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• प्रक्षीण-पापस्य: of one whose sin is exhausted
• प्रक्षीण-पापस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रक्षीण (कृदन्त; प्र + क्षि (धातु) + क्त) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-भावे तत्पुरुष (प्रक्षीणं पापं यस्य/यस्य पापं प्रक्षीणम्)

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• जन्मभिः: by births
• जन्मभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• क्रमात्: gradually/in sequence
• क्रमात्: Hetu/Nimitta (हेतु/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; ‘क्रमात्’ = ‘in due course/gradually’ (ablatival usage)

• सांबे: in/unto Sāmba (Śiva)
• सांबे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्ब (प्रातिपदिक; शिव-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सर्व-ईश्वरे: in the Lord of all
• सर्व-ईश्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वः ईश्वरः = सर्वेश्वरः)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• ज्ञान-पूर्वा: preceded by knowledge
• ज्ञान-पूर्वा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानं पूर्वं यस्याः)

• प्रजायते: arises/is born
• प्रजायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that as karmic impurities (pāpa) are gradually exhausted across lifetimes, clear spiritual understanding dawns, and from that right knowledge arises steady devotion to Shiva (Sāmba), leading toward liberation.

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

By naming Shiva as Sāmba (Shiva with Umā) and Sarveśvara, the verse supports Saguna worship—such as Linga-upāsanā—where devotion is grounded in knowledge of Shiva as the supreme Pati (Lord) who grants grace when bonds are weakened.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is jñāna-yukta bhakti: daily Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with mindful contemplation of Shiva as Sarveśvara, supported by purificatory observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as aids to inner cleansing.