Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा पितरं ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मणो ऽधिपतिं पतिम् । प्रणम्य परमज्ञानं गायत्र्या सह लब्धवान्

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā pitaraṃ brahmā brahmaṇo 'dhipatiṃ patim | praṇamya paramajñānaṃ gāyatryā saha labdhavān

Translation

Voyant le Père—Śiva, Seigneur et Maître même de Brahmā—Brahmā se prosterna avec révérence et obtint ainsi la connaissance suprême, avec le mantra Gāyatrī.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाले

• pitaram: father
• pitaram: Karma (कर्म/Object in apposition to tam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahman/of the Veda (Brahma)
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• adhipatim: overlord
• adhipatim: Karma (कर्म/Object in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhipati (अधिपति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• patim: lord/master
• patim: Karma (कर्म/Object in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (पति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-nam (प्र+नम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाले

• parama-jñānam: supreme knowledge
• parama-jñānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'paramaṃ jñānam'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• gāyatryā: with/through Gāyatrī
• gāyatryā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument or accompaniment marker with saha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (गायत्री प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/Comitative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (सह अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक (comitative particle)

• labdhavān: obtained
• labdhavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—Brahmā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्यय (Perfect participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agentive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages, describing Brahmā’s realization)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva as ‘Brahmaṇo ’dhipati’—the supreme Pati; prostration (praṇāma) and grace yield paramajñāna, paradigmatic for pilgrims seeking jñāna and mokṣa.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied) Gāyatrī mantra; text not quoted in this verse.

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Gayatri

FAQs

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

It teaches that true liberating knowledge (parama-jñāna) arises through humility and surrender to Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord—showing that even Brahmā gains enlightenment by bowing to Him.

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

By calling Śiva the ‘Pati’ and ‘Adhipati,’ the verse supports Saguna worship: the devotee approaches the Supreme through a knowable Lord who grants mantra and knowledge—often embodied in Linga worship as the accessible, grace-giving form of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pranāma (reverent bowing) combined with mantra-upāsanā—here indicated by receiving the Gāyatrī—suggests disciplined japa and contemplation, aligning the mind to receive Śiva’s grace as liberating insight.