Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

स्वभावमेके मन्यंते कालमेके विमोहिताः । देवस्य महिमा ह्येष येनेदं भ्राम्यते जगत्

Transliteration

svabhāvameke manyaṃte kālameke vimohitāḥ | devasya mahimā hyeṣa yenedaṃ bhrāmyate jagat

Translation

Les uns l’estiment simple nature (svabhāva), et d’autres, égarés, le prennent pour le temps (kāla). Pourtant, c’est bien la gloire du Seigneur (Deva) par laquelle l’univers entier est mis en mouvement et tourne.

Word by Word

• svabhāvam: nature (as cause)
• svabhāvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• eke: some
• eke: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; 'some (people)'

• manyante: think; consider
• manyante: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• kālam: time (as cause)
• kālam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• eke: some
• eke: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vimohitāḥ: deluded
• vimohitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi+√muh (मुह् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• devasya: of the God
• devasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• mahimā: greatness; glory
• mahimā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhrāmyate: wanders; revolves
• bhrāmyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhram (भ्रम् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is made to wander / wanders)

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It redirects causality away from blind “nature” or impersonal “time” and affirms Pati (Lord Shiva) as the conscious sovereign power whose śakti makes the jagat function—supporting devotion and surrender as the path beyond delusion.

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

The Liṅga signifies Shiva as the transcendent ground and the immanent governor of cosmic processes; worship of Saguna Shiva trains the mind to see time and nature as dependent powers, ultimately rooted in the Lord’s mahimā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner ruler of kāla and svabhāva while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water to the Shiva-liṅga, and applying Tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a reminder that all motion and change rest in Him.