Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माणं विदधे पूर्वं वेदांश्चोपादिशत्स्वयम् । यो देवस्तमहं बुद्ध्वा स्वात्मबुद्धिप्रसादतः

Transliteration

brahmāṇaṃ vidadhe pūrvaṃ vedāṃścopādiśatsvayam | yo devastamahaṃ buddhvā svātmabuddhiprasādataḥ

Translation

Ce Dieu qui, le premier, institua Brahmā et enseigna Lui-même les Veda—l’ayant réalisé par la grâce de la claire intelligence du Soi intérieur, j’ai compris ce Seigneur.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• विदधे: created/ordained
• विदधे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पूर्वम्: formerly, first
• पूर्वम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: formerly/first)

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; कर्म (object)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उपादिशत्: taught, instructed
• उपादिशत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (indeclinable: 'oneself')

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun; subject)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता (speaker as subject)

• बुद्ध्वा: having understood/known
• बुद्ध्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• स्व-आत्म-बुद्धि-प्रसादतः: from the grace of one’s own inner understanding
• स्व-आत्म-बुद्धि-प्रसादतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थक-पञ्चमी (ablative of cause: 'from/through the grace of')

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse on the Supreme Pati, Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogony: origination of Brahmā and revelation of the Vedas

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vedas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the Supreme Pati: the primal source who manifests Brahmā and reveals Vedic knowledge, and it teaches that true recognition of Him arises through inner realization supported by divine grace.

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

By declaring the Supreme Lord as the revealer of the Vedas and first cause, it supports Saguna worship (such as the Linga) as a valid means to approach the transcendent Pati, culminating in inward realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The emphasis is on svātmabuddhi—meditative inward discernment—supported by Shiva’s grace; in practice this aligns with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and contemplative absorption on Shiva as the revealer of wisdom.