Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

सर्वोपमंत्रैर्मंत्राध्वा व्याप्तः परमविद्यया । यथा शिवो न तत्त्वेषु गण्यते तत्त्वनायकः

Transliteration

sarvopamaṃtrairmaṃtrādhvā vyāptaḥ paramavidyayā | yathā śivo na tattveṣu gaṇyate tattvanāyakaḥ

Translation

Toute la voie des mantras, avec tous les mantras subsidiaires, est pénétrée par la Connaissance suprême. Ainsi, bien que Śiva soit le Seigneur qui gouverne tous les tattva, il n’est pas compté parmi les tattva eux-mêmes.

Word by Word

• सर्व-उपमन्त्रैः: by all subsidiary mantras
• सर्व-उपमन्त्रैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुषः (सर्वे उपमन्त्राः = all subsidiary mantras)

• मन्त्राध्वा: the Mantrādhva (path of mantras)
• मन्त्राध्वा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + अध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्राणाम् अध्वा = path/series of mantras)

• व्याप्तः: pervaded
• व्याप्तः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √आप् (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग) ; व्याप्त (कृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); भूतकृदन्त (PPP)

• परम-विद्यया: by the supreme knowledge
• परम-विद्यया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); कर्मधारयः (परमा विद्या)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative particle: 'just as')

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• तत्त्वेषु: among the tattvas/principles
• तत्त्वेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• गण्यते: is counted
• गण्यते: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गण् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: 'is counted')

• तत्त्व-नायकः: the leader of the tattvas
• तत्त्व-नायकः: सम्बन्ध-कर्ता (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तत्त्वानां नायकः = leader of principles)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra practice is ultimately fulfilled by supreme knowledge, and that Shiva—though the ruler of all categories of existence—transcends the tattvas; liberation comes by realizing Him as Pati beyond the bound soul and its limiting principles.

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

Linga worship uses mantra and ritual as an accessible (saguna) support, but the verse clarifies the goal: to know Shiva as the transcendent Lord who is not merely one more principle within creation, even while He pervades and governs it.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of Shiva-mantras (especially the Panchakshara, Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with contemplation that Shiva is the tattva-nāyaka beyond all tattvas—letting mantra mature into jñāna-oriented meditation.