Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

विरक्ता वानुरक्ता वा स्त्र्यादीनां विषयेष्वपि । पापैर्न ते विलिंपंते १ पद्मपत्रमिवांभसा

Transliteration

viraktā vānuraktā vā stryādīnāṃ viṣayeṣvapi | pāpairna te viliṃpaṃte 1 padmapatramivāṃbhasā

Translation

Qu’il soit détaché (virakta) ou encore attaché (anurakta) aux objets des sens—tels que les femmes et autres—les péchés ne le souillent pas, comme l’eau n’adhère pas à la feuille de lotus.

Word by Word

• विरक्ताः: detached
• विरक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरक्त (कृदन्त; √रञ्ज् + क्त, वि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• अनुरक्ताः: attached
• अनुरक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुरक्त (कृदन्त; √रञ्ज् + क्त, अनु-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• स्त्री-आदीनाम्: of women and the like
• स्त्री-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (आदि-शब्द), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्त्री च अन्ये च—‘women etc.’ as a set)

• विषयेषु: in objects (of sense)
• विषयेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: ‘even/also’)

• पापैः: by sins
• पापैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• विलिम्पन्ते: are smeared/tainted
• विलिम्पन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धातु √लिप् (लेपन)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पद्मपत्रम्: a lotus leaf
• पद्मपत्रम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पद्मस्य पत्रम्)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle ‘like’)

• अम्भसा: by water
• अम्भसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that one established in Shiva-oriented awareness is not inwardly stained by pāpa, even while living amid worldly conditions—like water rolling off a lotus leaf—signifying freedom from bondage (pāśa) and movement toward moksha.

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

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship trains the mind to rest in Pati (Shiva) rather than in objects; when devotion and surrender mature, actions no longer bind, and impurities do not ‘stick’ to the devotee’s consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain daily Shiva-smarana through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady dhyāna; this inner anchoring supports living in the world without being psychologically ‘smeared’ by attachment.