Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 57

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

स च तैः पीड्यमानो ऽपि तपः कुर्वन्कथञ्चन । सदा नमः शिवायेति क्रोशति स्मार्तनादवत्

Transliteration

sa ca taiḥ pīḍyamāno 'pi tapaḥ kurvankathañcana | sadā namaḥ śivāyeti krośati smārtanādavat

Translation

Bien qu’il fût tourmenté par eux, il poursuivit tant bien que mal son tapas; et, tel un cri rituel retentissant, il ne cessait de clamer, à tout instant, encore et encore : « Namaḥ Śivāya ».

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पीड्यमानः: being tormented
• पीड्यमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; passive participle ‘being tormented’

• अपि: even/although
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive/also)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुर्वन्: doing/performing
• कुर्वन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘doing’

• कथञ्चन: somehow
• कथञ्चन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (manner: somehow/by any means)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभूत)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; ‘नमः’ इति अव्ययप्रायः (salutation particle)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (dative), एकवचन

• इति: thus (quoting)
• इति: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-सूचक-अव्यय (quotative)

• क्रोशति: cries out
• क्रोशति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्म: indeed/then (past marker)
• स्म: Kāla-dyotaka (काल-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: भूतार्थ-निपात (past-tense marker particle)

• आर्तनादवत्: like a distressed cry
• आर्तनादवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्तनाद (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘-वत्’ तद्धितान्त, क्रियाविशेषणवत् (like a lamentation)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga; it exemplifies nāma-japa as the upāya that draws Śiva’s grace and breaks pāśa.

Significance: Teaching-benefit: constant Pañcākṣarī japa during adversity is portrayed as a direct means to protection and spiritual steadiness.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (namaḥ śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steadfast tapas supported by unbroken japa of “Namaḥ Śivāya” purifies the bound soul (paśu) even amid suffering, drawing the liberating grace of Pati (Śiva).

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

The verse highlights Saguna devotion through the audible repetition of Śiva’s name-mantra; such japa commonly accompanies Liṅga-pūjā, where mantra and worship together stabilize the mind in Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Continuous Pañcākṣarī japa—aloud or mentally—maintained alongside disciplined tapas; it can be integrated with daily Śiva-pūjā, vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), and rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva sādhana.