Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

पञ्चभूतानि तन्मात्राः पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि च । ज्ञानकर्मविभेदेन पञ्चकर्मविभागशः

Transliteration

pañcabhūtāni tanmātrāḥ pañcakarmendriyāṇi ca | jñānakarmavibhedena pañcakarmavibhāgaśaḥ

Translation

Sont décrits les cinq grands éléments, les essences subtiles (tanmātras) et les cinq organes de l’action ; et, par la distinction entre connaissance et action, les fonctions sont exposées en divisions quintuple.

Word by Word

• pañca-bhūtāni: the five elements
• pañca-bhūtāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); द्विगु-समासः (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• tan-mātrāḥ: their subtle essences (tanmātras)
• tan-mātrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + mātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य मात्रा इति)

• pañca-karma-indriyāṇi: the five organs of action
• pañca-karma-indriyāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः: कर्मेन्द्रिय (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः: कर्मणः इन्द्रियाणि), ततः द्विगु-पूर्वपदेन (पञ्च) समासः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• jñāna-karma-vibhedena: by the distinction of knowledge and action
• jñāna-karma-vibhedena: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + vibheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); समासः: ज्ञानकर्म (द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर? व्यवहारतः समाहार-सम्बन्धः) + विभेद (तत्पुरुषः: ज्ञानकर्मयोः विभेदः); तृतीया—हेतु/करण (by/through distinction)

• pañca-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: according to the fivefold division of actions
• pañca-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + śas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Adverbial formation with śas (शस्-प्रत्ययः: ‘in the manner of/according to’); base compound: पञ्चकर्मविभाग (तत्पुरुष/द्विगु-संयुक्त) + शस्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines the building blocks of embodied existence—elements, subtle potentials, and sense-functions—so the seeker can discern pasha (bondage) and turn awareness toward Pati (Shiva), the transcendent Lord beyond these categories.

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

By classifying the instruments of experience (elements and senses), the text encourages withdrawing identification from them and fixing devotion on Saguna Shiva as the Linga—an accessible focus through which the mind becomes purified and led toward Shiva’s higher, nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice sense-discipline with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and meditative introspection on how knowledge and action arise in the senses; this supports inner purity alongside Shaiva observances such as bhasma (Tripundra) and steady worship.