Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

ज्ञानाख्यया दक्षिणतो वामतश्च क्रियाख्यया । तत्त्वत्रयमयं साक्षाद्विद्यामूर्तिं सदाशिवम्

Transliteration

jñānākhyayā dakṣiṇato vāmataśca kriyākhyayā | tattvatrayamayaṃ sākṣādvidyāmūrtiṃ sadāśivam

Translation

À sa droite se tient la Puissance nommée Connaissance (Jñāna), et à sa gauche la Puissance nommée Action (Kriyā). Il est directement Sadāśiva—dont la forme est la Vidyā pure—incarnant la triade des principes : Pati, Paśu et Pāśa.

Word by Word

• ज्ञान-आख्यया: by/with (the śakti) called Knowledge
• ज्ञान-आख्यया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; (शक्त्या इति अध्याहार्य) ‘named jñāna’

• दक्षिणतः: on the right side
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्-देशवाचक-अव्यय (directional adverb): ‘on the right’

• वामतः: on the left side
• वामतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्-देशवाचक-अव्यय: ‘on the left’

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

• क्रिया-आख्यया: by/with (the śakti) called Action
• क्रिया-आख्यया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; (शक्त्या इति अध्याहार्य) ‘named kriyā’

• तत्त्व-त्रय-मयम्: consisting of the three principles
• तत्त्व-त्रय-मयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘consisting of the triad of tattvas’

• साक्षात्: directly/manifestly
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/क्रिया-विशेषण: ‘directly, manifestly’

• विद्या-मूर्तिम्: the embodiment of knowledge
• विद्या-मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सदा-शिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘ever-auspicious’ इति विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It presents Sadāśiva as the direct embodiment of liberating Vidyā, showing that the Lord governs both illumination (jñāna) and divine operation (kriyā) while transcending and containing the threefold Shaiva Siddhānta framework of Pati, Paśu, and Pāśa.

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

In Śaiva worship, the Liṅga is revered as the manifest (saguṇa) support through which the formless Lord is approached; this verse explains that the worshipped Sadāśiva is not merely a symbol but the very Reality whose śaktis of knowledge and action guide the soul beyond bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Sadāśiva in the Liṅga as the union of jñāna-śakti and kriyā-śakti, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with the intent of transforming action into worship and knowledge into direct recognition of the Lord.