Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

आधाराद्युन्मनांतश्च भुवनाध्वा प्रकीर्तितः । विना भेदोपभेदाभ्यां षष्टिसंख्यासमन्वितः

Transliteration

ādhārādyunmanāṃtaśca bhuvanādhvā prakīrtitaḥ | vinā bhedopabhedābhyāṃ ṣaṣṭisaṃkhyāsamanvitaḥ

Translation

D’Ādhāra jusqu’à Unmanā est proclamée la «voie des mondes» (bhuvanādhvan). Comptée sans divisions ni sous-divisions, on dit qu’elle s’accomplit au nombre de soixante.

Word by Word

• आधार-आदि-उन्मना-अन्तः: (ranging) from Ādhāra up to Unmanā (as the end)
• आधार-आदि-उन्मना-अन्तः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्मना (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आधारादि…उन्मना-अन्तः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भुवन-अध्वा: the path/series of worlds
• भुवन-अध्वा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भुवनानां अध्वा)

• प्रकीर्तितः: is proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is proclaimed’

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/वियोगार्थक-अव्यय (preposition/adverb: ‘without’); प्रायः तृतीया/पञ्चमी-सह

• भेद-उपभेदाभ्याम्: by/with distinctions and sub-distinctions
• भेद-उपभेदाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक) + उपभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (भेदश्च उपभेदश्च)

• षष्टि-संख्यया: with the number sixty
• षष्टि-संख्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• समन्वितः: endowed with / consisting of
• समन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अनु-√इ (धातु) → समन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भुवनाध्वा)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines a Shaiva yogic map of ascent—from the foundational support (Ādhāra) to the transcendent state (Unmanā)—showing how consciousness traverses graded levels toward liberation under the Lord (Pati).

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

The graded ‘path of worlds’ is traversed by grace and disciplined worship; Saguna Shiva (as Linga and Lord of mantra) is the accessible focus through which the aspirant is led beyond levels into the supreme realization represented by Unmanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is structured meditation (dhyāna) and mantra-japa oriented upward through inner centers—commonly supported in Shaiva practice by Panchakshara japa, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), and Rudrāksha as aids to steadiness and purity.