Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

वृक्षेस्मिन् पुरुषो मग्नो गुह्यमानश्च शोचति । जुष्टमन्यं यदा पश्येदीशं परमकारणम्

Transliteration

vṛkṣesmin puruṣo magno guhyamānaśca śocati | juṣṭamanyaṃ yadā paśyedīśaṃ paramakāraṇam

Translation

Plongée dans cet arbre (de l’existence mondaine), l’âme individuelle s’enfonce ; voilée, elle se lamente. Mais lorsqu’elle contemple le Seigneur—autre qu’elle-même, Compagnon toujours présent, Cause suprême—alors sa douleur se dissipe.

Word by Word

• vṛkṣe: in/on the tree
• vṛkṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• puruṣaḥ: the person
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• magnaḥ: sunk/immersed
• magnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: magná (मग्न) < √majj (मज्ज्, धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying puruṣaḥ

• guhyamānaḥ: being concealed/hidden
• guhyamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhyamāna (गुह्यमान) < √guh (गुह्, धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्/कर्मणि-वर्तमानकृदन्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying puruṣaḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• śocati: grieves
• śocati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śuc (शुच्, धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• juṣṭam: the revered/served
• juṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: juṣṭa (जुष्ट) < √juṣ (जुष्, धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adjectivally with īśam/paramakāraṇam (object)

• anyam: another
• anyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• paśyet: should see
• paśyet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• parama-kāraṇam: the supreme cause
• parama-kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘परमं कारणम्’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It describes the jīva (pashu) trapped in saṃsāra and sorrow due to veiling (pāśa), and teaches that liberation begins when one directly recognizes Śiva (Pati) as the Supreme Cause and inner Companion.

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

The verse points from bondage to God-realization: Linga worship and Saguna Shiva devotion steady the mind and mature into true “seeing” of Īśa—recognizing Shiva’s causality and grace beyond mere worldly identity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative “darśana” of Īśa: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-dhyāna, supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, to pierce veiling and end sorrow.