Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

धर्मपत्न्यास्तु गमनं गृहस्थस्य विधीयते । ब्रह्मचर्यं वनस्थानां यतीनां ब्रह्मचारिणाम्

Transliteration

dharmapatnyāstu gamanaṃ gṛhasthasya vidhīyate | brahmacaryaṃ vanasthānāṃ yatīnāṃ brahmacāriṇām

Translation

Pour le maître de maison, l’union conjugale avec l’épouse légitime (dharma-patnī) est prescrite. Mais pour les habitants de la forêt, les ascètes renonçants (yati) et les étudiants célibataires, le brahmacarya — la continence sacrée — est ordonné.

Word by Word

• धर्म: dharma
• धर्म: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• पत्न्याः: of the lawful wife
• पत्न्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः धर्म-पत्नी (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: lawful wife)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• गमनम्: going/approaching (conjugal approach)
• गमनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गम् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त) → गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाववाचक-नाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed/ordained
• विधीयते: क्रिया (Verb/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy / brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः ब्रह्मणि चर्या/चर्यम् (तत्पुरुष)

• वनस्थानाम्: of forest-dwellers (vānaprasthas)
• वनस्थानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समासः वने स्थः (तत्पुरुष)

• यतीनाम्: of ascetics
• यतीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मचारिणाम्: of brahmacārins (celibate students)
• ब्रह्मचारिणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समासः ब्रह्मणि चारिन् (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines dharma according to one’s āśrama: disciplined marital life for the gṛhastha and strict continence for vānaprastha, yati, and brahmacārin—showing that self-control is central to purification and readiness for Shiva-realization.

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

Linga-worship requires inner and outer purity; this verse teaches that purity is maintained differently in each life-stage—through regulated conjugal dharma for householders and through brahmacarya for renunciant paths—supporting steady devotion to Saguna Shiva and progress toward the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is restraint of the senses (brahmacarya or regulated conduct), which pairs naturally with Shaiva sādhana such as daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditative steadiness.