Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 98

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कृत्वा पाशुपतव्रतम् । धनवद्भस्म संगृह्य भस्मस्नानरतो भवेत्

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena kṛtvā pāśupatavratam | dhanavadbhasma saṃgṛhya bhasmasnānarato bhavet

Translation

Ainsi, de tout son effort, qu’on entreprenne le vœu Pāśupata ; et, recueillant la bhasma comme un trésor, qu’on demeure voué au bain et à l’onction de bhasma.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Ablative Singular (5th; पञ्चमी एकवचन); pronominal ‘therefore/from that’

• sarva-prayatnena: with every effort
• sarva-prayatnena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक) + prayatna (प्रयत्न प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental Singular (तृतीया एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘all’ + ‘effort’ = ‘with all effort’

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tvā (त्वा प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव); ‘having done’

• pāśupata-vratam: the Pāśupata vow
• pāśupata-vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśupata (पाशुपत प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (व्रत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘of Paśupati’ + ‘vow’

• dhanavat: as something precious
• dhanavat: Vishesana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanavat (धनवत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable-like adjectival form (वत्-प्रत्यय), used adverbially; sense ‘as if it were wealth/precious’

• bhasma: ash
• bhasma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (भस्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

• saṃgṛhya: having gathered
• saṃgṛhya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√grah (सम्+ग्रह् धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थ), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव); ‘having collected’

• bhasma-snānā-rataḥ: devoted to ash-bathing
• bhasma-snānā-rataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasma (भस्मन्) + snāna (स्नान प्रातिपदिक) + rata (रत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense: ‘engaged in bathing with ash’

• bhavet: should become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Explicitly prescribes Pāśupata-vrata and bhasma-snāna as sustained sādhana; treating bhasma ‘like wealth’ frames it as a constant spiritual resource yielding protection and Śiva-alignment beyond occasional pilgrimage.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that earnest practice of the Pāśupata vow and reverent use of bhasma purify the pashu (bound soul) and loosen pasha (bondage), orienting the devotee toward Paśupati (Śiva) and liberation.

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

Bhasma is a key Shaiva mark and purifier used alongside Linga worship; treating bhasma as “wealth” reflects single-minded devotion to Saguna Śiva’s prescribed disciplines while pointing to inner renunciation and the truth that all forms return to ash.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake Pāśupata-vrata and regularly perform bhasma-snāna (bathing/smearing with sacred ash, commonly with Tripuṇḍra application), maintaining steady devotional discipline toward Śiva.