Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

तमक्रतुं क्रतुप्रायं महिमातिशयान्वितम् । धातुः प्रसादादीशानं वीतशोकः प्रपश्यति

Transliteration

tamakratuṃ kratuprāyaṃ mahimātiśayānvitam | dhātuḥ prasādādīśānaṃ vītaśokaḥ prapaśyati

Translation

Par la grâce du Seigneur, Dhātā (Brahmā) contempla Īśāna—Celui qui dépasse le rite et pourtant en est l’essence même—revêtu d’une majesté sans pareille; et en le voyant, il fut délivré du chagrin.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अक्रतुम्: without ritual action (non-agent of rites)
• अक्रतुम्: कर्म (कर्म-विशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समाससदृश नकारार्थ उपसर्ग (a-/negation)

• क्रतुप्रायम्: full of resolve/power (ritual-like)
• क्रतुप्रायम्: कर्म (कर्म-विशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रतु + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (क्रतु-प्रायः = ‘ritual-like/abounding in power/resolve’)

• महिमा: greatness
• महिमा: सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (समासपूर्वपद) ‘greatness’

• अतिशय: excellence
• अतिशय: सम्बन्ध (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (समासपूर्वपद) ‘excellence/surpassing’

• अन्वितम्: endowed (with)
• अन्वितम्: कर्म (कर्म-विशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed with’

• धातुः: the knower (soul)
• धातुः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; here ‘the embodied soul/knower’ (contextual)

• प्रसादात्: from (His) grace
• प्रसादात्: अपादान/हेतु (Source/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादान (ablative: ‘from/through grace’)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (the Lord)
• ईशानम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वीतशोकः: free from sorrow
• वीतशोकः: कर्ता (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत + शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य शोकः वीतः सः)

• प्रपश्यति: beholds clearly
• प्रपश्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष? actually तृतीयपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: √पश् (to see) with उपसर्ग प्र-

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana
• Brahma (Dhata)

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation from sorrow arises through Shiva’s anugraha (grace): when the soul gains true darshana of Īśāna, the binding grief born of pāśa (bondage) is dissolved.

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

Though Shiva is described as ‘beyond ritual,’ He is also ‘the essence of rites’—meaning Linga worship and other saguna practices become fruitful when they culminate in inner recognition of Īśāna through grace, not mere external performance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform worship as a support to grace-oriented meditation: steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and contemplative dhyāna on Īśāna, seeking inner clarity rather than ritualism alone.