Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

पतिराज्ञापकः सर्वमनुगृह्णाति सर्वदा । तदर्थमर्थस्वीकारे परतंत्रः कथं शिवः

Transliteration

patirājñāpakaḥ sarvamanugṛhṇāti sarvadā | tadarthamarthasvīkāre parataṃtraḥ kathaṃ śivaḥ

Translation

Le Seigneur (Pati), souverain ordonnateur, accorde sans cesse sa grâce à tous. S’il en est ainsi, comment Śiva pourrait-il dépendre de quiconque pour recevoir des offrandes ou des moyens matériels en vue de ce dessein ?

Word by Word

• पति-आज्ञापकः: the one who commands the lord (i.e., a lord’s commander)
• पति-आज्ञापकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘पतेः आज्ञापकः’

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुगृह्णाति: shows favor to, blesses
• अनुगृह्णाति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तत्-अर्थम्: for that purpose
• तत्-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययत्वेन प्रयुक्तम् (adverbial: ‘for that purpose’)

• अर्थ-स्वीकारे: in accepting (some) benefit/wealth
• अर्थ-स्वीकारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वीकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अर्थस्य स्वीकारः’

• परतन्त्रः: dependent on another
• परतन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘शिवः’)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as Pati—the fully independent Lord whose grace (anugraha) is spontaneous and sovereign; offerings do not empower Him, but purify and align the devotee toward liberation.

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

Linga-worship is a saguna support for the devotee’s mind and surrender; the verse clarifies that Śiva’s acceptance of offerings is compassionate pedagogy, not dependence—He remains transcendent even while graciously present in the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offerings (naivedya, bilva, water) should be made with the attitude of surrender and gratitude, paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—seeing worship as self-purification rather than ‘supplying’ Śiva.