Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

दक्षिणे शूलपरशुवज्रखड्गानलोज्ज्वलम् । सव्ये च नागनाराचघण्टापाशांकुशोज्ज्वलम्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇe śūlaparaśuvajrakhaḍgānalojjvalam | savye ca nāganārācaghaṇṭāpāśāṃkuśojjvalam

Translation

Dans les mains droites, Il resplendissait du trident, de la hache, du vajra, de l’épée et du feu flamboyant ; et dans les mains gauches, Il resplendissait du serpent, de la flèche de fer, de la cloche, du lasso et de l’aiguillon (aṅkuśa).

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇe: on the right (side)
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (दिशावाचक), सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative sg.; ‘on the right side/south’)

• śūla-paraśu-vajra-khaḍga-anala-ujjvalam: shining with trident, axe, thunderbolt, sword and fire
• śūla-paraśu-vajra-khaḍga-anala-ujjvalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + paraśu (प्रातिपदिक) + vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक) + anala (प्रातिपदिक) + ujjvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (śūla-paraśu-vajra-khaḍga-anala) + विशेषण ujjvala (neuter acc./nom. sg.; ‘shining with trident, axe, thunderbolt, sword, fire’)

• savye: on the left (side)
• savye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: savya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (दिशावाचक), सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative sg.; ‘on the left side’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-समुच्चय (indeclinable conjunction ‘and’)

• nāga-nārāca-ghaṇṭā-pāśa-aṃkuśa-ujjvalam: shining with serpent, arrow, bell, noose and goad
• nāga-nārāca-ghaṇṭā-pāśa-aṃkuśa-ujjvalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + nārāca (प्रातिपदिक) + ghaṇṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃkuśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ujjvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (nāga-nārāca-ghaṇṭā-pāśa-aṃkuśa) + विशेषण ujjvala (neuter acc./nom. sg.; ‘shining with serpent, iron-arrow, bell, noose, goad’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati, the sovereign Lord whose radiant weapons symbolize the destruction of ignorance and bondage (pāśa) and the protection of devotees; contemplating this form supports devotion (bhakti) and inner purification leading toward liberation.

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

While the Linga points to Shiva’s nirguṇa transcendence, this verse supports saguna-upāsanā (meditation on form): visualizing Shiva’s attributes steadies the mind, deepens reverence, and prepares the seeker to realize the formless truth indicated by the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use dhyāna: mentally visualize Shiva holding these emblems while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; this can be paired with traditional Shaiva aids like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as supports for focused worship.