Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

शासनाद्देवदेवस्य शिवस्य शिवदायिनः । तन्मात्राण्यपि तस्यैव शासनेन महीयसा

Transliteration

śāsanāddevadevasya śivasya śivadāyinaḥ | tanmātrāṇyapi tasyaiva śāsanena mahīyasā

Translation

Par l’ordonnance souveraine de Śiva—Dieu des dieux, dispensateur d’auspice—même les éléments subtils (tanmātras) demeurent sous Son seul commandement, soutenus et gouvernés par Son ordre puissant.

Word by Word

• शासनात्: from the command/ordinance
• शासनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः)

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• शिवदायिनः: of the giver of auspiciousness
• शिवदायिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (शिवं ददाति इति)

• तन्मात्राणि: the subtle elements (tanmātras)
• तन्मात्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (तस्य मात्राः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• शासनेन: by (his) command
• शासनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• महीयसा: by the greater/mightier (command)
• महीयसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva (Pati) as the supreme regulator: even the subtlest constituents of experience—the tanmātras—operate only under His divine ordinance, affirming His lordship over creation and bondage.

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

In Saguna worship, the Linga is revered as the visible support of the invisible Lord who governs all tattvas; this verse grounds Linga-bhakti in the truth that Shiva’s authority pervades even the subtle sense-potentials.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-restraint with japa—especially the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—contemplating Shiva as the inner ruler of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell, offering them back to Him in devotion.