Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

घृतात्परं मंडमिव सूक्ष्मं ज्ञात्वा स्थितं प्रभुम् । सर्वभूतेषु गूढं च सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

ghṛtātparaṃ maṃḍamiva sūkṣmaṃ jñātvā sthitaṃ prabhum | sarvabhūteṣu gūḍhaṃ ca sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

En connaissant le Seigneur qui demeure plus subtil que la plus fine des essences—tel la crème délicate au-delà du ghee (ghṛta)—et qui est caché en tous les êtres, on est délivré de tous les péchés.

Word by Word

• घृतात्: from ghee
• घृतात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• परम्: higher/superior
• परम्: Karma (कर्म; as descriptor of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the understood object/‘prabhum’ by apposition)

• मण्डम्: cream/essence (of ghee)
• मण्डम्: Upamana (उपमान; comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Sambandha (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Karma (कर्म; as descriptor of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of प्रभुम् by sense)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• स्थितम्: abiding/situated
• स्थितम्: Karma (कर्म; as descriptor of object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘situated/abiding’ (qualifying प्रभुम्)

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्व-भूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्व-भूतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (sense: ‘सर्वाणि भूतानि’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• गूढम्: hidden
• गूढम्: Karma (कर्म; as descriptor of object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘hidden’ (qualifying प्रभुम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• सर्व-पापैः: from all sins (lit. by/with all sins)
• सर्व-पापैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (‘सर्वाणि पापानि’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/means in passive), बहुवचन

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद; प्र-उपसर्ग

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation from sin arises through inner realization of Śiva as the supremely subtle Pati, concealed as the indwelling presence in every being; true purification is rooted in jñāna and direct recognition of His immanence.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to perceive the formless, subtle reality of Śiva; from the outer sign (liṅga) the devotee is led to the inner antaryāmin—Śiva hidden in all beings—uniting saguna upāsanā with nirguna realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Śiva as the subtle indweller in the heart (antar-dhyāna), supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to refine awareness from gross to subtle and cultivate inner purity.