Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

कृकलः क्षवथौ ज्ञेयो देवदत्तो विजृंभणे । न जहाति मृतं चापि सर्वव्यापी धनंजयः

Transliteration

kṛkalaḥ kṣavathau jñeyo devadatto vijṛṃbhaṇe | na jahāti mṛtaṃ cāpi sarvavyāpī dhanaṃjayaḥ

Translation

Sache que le souffle vital nommé Kṛkala agit dans l’éternuement, et Devadatta agit dans le bâillement. Dhanañjaya, qui pénètre tout, ne s’en va pas même d’un corps sans vie.

Word by Word

• कृकलः: Kṛkala (name of a vital air)
• कृकलः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षवथौ: in sneezing
• क्षवथौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षवथु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण/Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ज्ञेयः’ = ‘ज्ञातव्यः/should be known’

• देवदत्तः: Devadatta (name of a vital air)
• देवदत्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विजृंभणे: in yawning
• विजृंभणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजृंभण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• जहाति: abandons, leaves
• जहाति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मृतम्: the dead (body)
• मृतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मृ’ धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• सर्वव्यापी: all-pervading
• सर्वव्यापी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (name of a vital air)
• धनंजयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Kṛkala
• Devadatta
• Dhanañjaya

FAQs

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

It maps specific bodily functions to subtle prāṇa-currents, showing that life is governed by unseen forces; this supports yogic discernment (viveka) so the seeker turns from mere bodily activity toward Pati (Śiva), the Lord beyond prāṇa.

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

By revealing prāṇa as a subtle mechanism within the body, the text encourages shifting attention to the indwelling Lord worshipped as the Liṅga—Saguna Śiva as the accessible focus—while recognizing that even prāṇa is not the ultimate Self, but dependent on Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is breath-awareness (prāṇa-smṛti) during sneezing/yawning and daily respiration, paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” using the breath as a support for steady remembrance of Śiva.