Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

अथ भर्तृविहीनाया वक्ष्ये धर्मं सनातनम् । व्रतं दानं तपः शौचं भूशय्यानक्तभोजनम्

Transliteration

atha bhartṛvihīnāyā vakṣye dharmaṃ sanātanam | vrataṃ dānaṃ tapaḥ śaucaṃ bhūśayyānaktabhojanam

Translation

À présent, je vais énoncer le dharma éternel pour la femme privée d’époux : l’observance des vœux, le don, l’austérité, la pureté, le fait de dormir à même le sol et de ne prendre qu’un seul repas la nuit—disciplines qui affermissent l’esprit et le tournent vers Śiva, le Seigneur qui accorde la délivrance (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अथ-निपात), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• भर्तृ-विहीनायाः: of a husbandless (woman)
• भर्तृ-विहीनायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + vihīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘devoid of husband’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• धर्मम्: dharma/duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘धर्मम्’

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• शौचम्: purity/cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• भू-शय्या: sleeping on the ground
• भू-शय्या: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘sleeping on the ground’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• अनक्त-भोजनम्: night-meal (anakta-bhojana)
• अनक्त-भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anakta (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘eating at night/after anointing? (contextually: night-meal)’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a Śaiva-aligned path of restraint and inner purification—vows, charity, austerity, and cleanliness—so grief and worldly dependence are transformed into steadiness and devotion, making the mind fit for Śiva-bhakti and liberation-oriented living.

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

These disciplines function as preparatory sādhana for Saguna Śiva worship: purity (śauca) supports ritual correctness, vows and tapas intensify devotion, and a regulated diet and simple living aid concentration during Liṅga-pūjā and recitation of Śiva’s names.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A vrata-based lifestyle: maintain śauca, practice dāna, adopt tapas such as sleeping on the ground and a one-meal/nightly-meal discipline; these can be paired with Śiva japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular Liṅga-pūjā where appropriate.