Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

शक्तिश्चाज्ञा मदेशस्य शिवस्य परमात्मनः । तस्मात्काम्यानि कर्माणि कुर्यादाज्ञाधरोद्विजः

Transliteration

śaktiścājñā madeśasya śivasya paramātmanaḥ | tasmātkāmyāni karmāṇi kuryādājñādharodvijaḥ

Translation

La Puissance (Śakti) et l’Ordre (ājñā) sont mon propre décret—moi, Śiva, le Soi suprême. Ainsi, ô deux-fois-né, celui qui porte cet ordre divin doit accomplir les rites kāmya selon cet ordre.

Word by Word

• śaktiḥ: power, potency
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avya ya (समुच्चय-अव्यय), conjunction

• ājñā: command, injunction
• ājñā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• mat: of me, my
• mat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana (Singular); enclitic stem mat- (मद्→मत्)

• īśasya: of the Lord
• īśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana (Singular)

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• paramātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; परम् + आत्मन्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (ātman-stem), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: ‘supreme (parama) Self (ātman)’

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially; Tasmāt (तस्मात्) = ‘therefore/from that’; avyayībhāva-like usage (not a compound)

• kāmyāni: desire-motivated, optional (rites)
• kāmyāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/Accusative), Bahuvacana (Plural); agrees with karmāṇi

• karmāṇi: actions, rites
• karmāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Bahuvacana

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama puruṣa? actually Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ‘he should do’

• ājñādharaḥ: one who upholds the command
• ājñādharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā-dhara (प्रातिपदिक; आज्ञा + धर)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘one who bears/holds (dhara) the command (ājñā)’

• dvijaḥ: a brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; apposition to ājñādharaḥ

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, the Supreme Self (Pati), governs the cosmos through Śakti and divine injunction; spiritual progress comes by aligning one’s actions—even fruit-seeking rites—with Śiva’s command rather than mere egoic desire.

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

Linga-worship is a concrete way to follow Śiva’s ājñā: rituals and vows become valid and spiritually uplifting when performed as obedience to Śiva (Saguna focus in worship) while remembering Him as Paramātman (Nirguna truth).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform kāmya or daily rites only as śāstra-and-guru-aligned offerings to Śiva—supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined observances—so the act is carried by Śiva’s ājñā rather than personal craving.