Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

अन्तराय-उपसर्ग-विवेचनम् / Analysis of Yogic Obstacles (Antarāyas) and Upasargas

Devanagari script

चतुष्षष्ठिगुणं ब्राह्ममैश्वर्यं च प्रचक्षते । बौद्धादस्मात्परं गौणमैश्वर्यं प्राकृतं विदुः

Transliteration

catuṣṣaṣṭhiguṇaṃ brāhmamaiśvaryaṃ ca pracakṣate | bauddhādasmātparaṃ gauṇamaiśvaryaṃ prākṛtaṃ viduḥ

Translation

Ils déclarent que l’aiśvarya, la puissance souveraine de Brahmā, est soixante-quatre fois. Au-delà même du pouvoir bouddhique (fondé sur l’intellect), ils comprennent cette souveraineté plus haute, quoique secondaire, comme ‘prākṛta’, issue de Prakṛti, le principe matériel.

Word by Word

• चतुःषष्ठि: sixty-four
• चतुःषष्ठि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुःषष्ठि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical): चतुः + षष्ठि = ‘sixty-four’; used as numeral qualifier in compound

• गुणम्: qualities/measures
• गुणम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; in compound चतुःषष्ठि-गुणम् = ‘having 64 qualities/measures’; accusative as object/complement

• ब्राह्मम्: Brahmic
• ब्राह्मम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective to ऐश्वर्यम् ‘Brahmic’

• ऐश्वर्यम्: sovereignty/power
• ऐश्वर्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of verb

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• प्रचक्षते: they declare
• प्रचक्षते: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘they declare’

• बौद्धात्: from/than the Bauddha (level)
• बौद्धात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बौद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative ‘from/than the Bauddha (state/doctrine)’

• अस्मात्: from this
• अस्मात्: अपादान (Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ablative ‘from this’

• परम्: higher
• परम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘higher/superior’; qualifies following phrase

• गौणम्: secondary/derivative
• गौणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective to ऐश्वर्यम् ‘secondary/derivative’

• ऐश्वर्यम्: sovereignty/power
• ऐश्वर्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of viduḥ

• प्राकृतम्: worldly/natural
• प्राकृतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective to ऐश्वर्यम् ‘natural/worldly’

• विदुः: they consider/know
• विदुः: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they know/consider’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It classifies levels of ‘aiśvarya’ (lordly power), indicating that even exalted cosmic authority (like Brahmā’s) can remain within Prakṛti; Shaiva Siddhanta uses such gradations to point seekers beyond created powers toward Pati (Shiva), the transcendent Lord.

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

By showing that worldly and subtle powers are still prākṛta, it encourages devotion to Shiva as the Supreme beyond the tattvas; Linga-worship fixes the mind on that higher Lord, not on secondary, derivative dominions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to prioritize Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and steady meditation on Shiva—rather than seeking siddhis or status that remain within Prakṛti.