Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं चैतत्पशुत्वं विनिवर्तयेत् । तत्पशुत्वं परित्यज्य कृत्वा पाशुपतं व्रतम्

Transliteration

bhuktimuktipradaṃ caitatpaśutvaṃ vinivartayet | tatpaśutvaṃ parityajya kṛtvā pāśupataṃ vratam

Translation

Cette discipline pāśupata accorde à la fois la jouissance en ce monde et la délivrance; elle dissipe le paśutva, l’état de créature liée. Ainsi, renonçant à cette servitude, qu’on entreprenne le vœu pāśupata avec dévotion envers Paśupati, le Seigneur Śiva.

Word by Word

• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद + तत्पुरुष: 'भुक्तिं च मुक्तिं च प्रददाति'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पशुत्वम्: animality/bondage (state of being paśu)
• पशुत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनिवर्तयेत्: should cause to cease / remove
• विनिवर्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-वृत्/वर्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (used adjectivally)

• पशुत्वम्: animality/bondage
• पशुत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• कृत्वा: having done / having undertaken
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• पाशुपतम्: Pāśupata
• पाशुपतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta frame of bondage and release: the soul (paśu) becomes free from limiting bonds (paśutva/pāśa) by turning to Paśupati (Śiva) through disciplined observance, culminating in both right living (bhukti) and final liberation (mukti).

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

The Pāśupata vow is a Saguna-oriented discipline centered on devotion to Paśupati—commonly expressed through Linga worship, mantra-japa, and purity practices—by which the bound soul is progressively aligned with Śiva’s grace and knowledge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It explicitly recommends undertaking the Pāśupata vrata—practically supported by Śiva-upāsanā such as mantra-japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī), worship of the Linga, and traditional Shaiva marks like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where prescribed.