Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

संसारस्येश्वरो नित्यं समूलस्य निवर्तकः । संसारवैद्य इत्युक्तः सर्वतत्त्वार्थवेदिभिः

Transliteration

saṃsārasyeśvaro nityaṃ samūlasya nivartakaḥ | saṃsāravaidya ityuktaḥ sarvatattvārthavedibhiḥ

Translation

Il est à jamais le Seigneur du saṃsāra, et Celui qui fait reculer (abolit) le saṃsāra avec sa racine même. C’est pourquoi ceux qui connaissent le sens de tous les tattva l’appellent le « Médecin du saṃsāra ».

Word by Word

• संसारस्य: of the worldly cycle
• संसारस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत्; अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial accusative: 'always')

• समूलस्य: of (it) together with its root
• समूलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सह मूलेन = समूलः)

• निवर्तकः: remover/terminator
• निवर्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-वर्तक (प्रातिपदिक; वृत्/वर्त्-धातुज कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• संसारवैद्यः: physician of saṃsāra
• संसारवैद्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार-वैद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संसारस्य वैद्यः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यचिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरण/निगमनसूचक (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: is called/said
• उक्तः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘called/said’

• सर्वतत्त्वार्थवेदिभिः: by the knowers of the meaning of all principles
• सर्वतत्त्वार्थवेदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-तत्त्व-अर्थ-वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (सर्वेषां तत्त्वानाम् अर्थं वेदन्ति ये)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Śiva as ‘saṃsāra-vaidya’ underwrites the salvific aim of Śiva-darśana: not merely worldly boons but uprooting saṃsāra’s cause through grace and right means.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the eternal Lord over saṃsāra—who not only alleviates suffering but removes bondage at its root (the causal pasha), leading the soul (pashu) toward moksha.

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

Worship of the Shiva-Linga is devotion to the accessible Saguna form of the same Supreme Lord who transcends all tattvas; through Linga-puja, the devotee seeks Shiva’s grace to cure the ‘disease’ of saṃsāra by cutting its root.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take Shiva as the inner physician through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) and steady meditation on Shiva; as a supportive Shaiva practice, apply Tripundra (bhasma) with remembrance of liberation from pasha.