Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

शाक्तेनामृतवर्षेण संसिक्तायां तनौ पुनः । अवतार्य स्वमात्मानममृतात्माकृतिं हृदि

Transliteration

śāktenāmṛtavarṣeṇa saṃsiktāyāṃ tanau punaḥ | avatārya svamātmānamamṛtātmākṛtiṃ hṛdi

Translation

Lorsque le corps fut de nouveau aspergé par l’ondée d’ambroisie née de la Śakti, il fit descendre son propre Soi et établit dans le cœur la forme du Soi immortel.

Word by Word

• शाक्तेन: by the śākta (power/means)
• शाक्तेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; instrumental singular (by/with the śākta- power/means)

• अमृत-वर्षेण: with a shower of nectar
• अमृत-वर्षेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अमृतस्य वर्षः)

• संसिक्तायाम्: in/when (it was) sprinkled
• संसिक्तायाम्: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + सिच् (धातु) → संसिक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचनम्; past passive participle ‘sprinkled/bedewed’ agreeing with तनौ

• तनौ: in the body
• तनौ: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचनम्; locative singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• अवतार्य: having brought down
• अवतार्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + तॄ (धातु) → अवतार्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive); ‘having caused to descend / having brought down’

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; adjective to आत्मानम्

• आत्मानम्: self
• आत्मानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; accusative singular

• अमृत-आत्म-आकृतिम्: the nectar-natured form
• अमृत-आत्म-आकृतिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (अमृतः आत्मा यस्याः सा / अमृतात्मनः आकृतिः—sense: ‘form of nectar-natured self’)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचनम्; locative singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It describes inner transformation by Śakti’s grace: the limited, embodied condition is revitalized, and consciousness is re-centered in the heart as the amṛta (deathless) Self—pointing to liberation through divine empowerment and inward realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, Saguna Shiva is approached through worship, and by Śakti’s anugraha (grace) the devotee’s awareness is led inward—so the external rite culminates in installing Shiva-consciousness in the heart, the true ‘inner linga’ of contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative takeaway is hṛdaya-dhyāna: after purification (often supported by bhasma/tripuṇḍra and mantra-japa), one visualizes nectar-like grace descending and then fixes awareness in the heart as the deathless Self, aligned with steady japa of Shiva’s name.