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Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

ध्यानप्रकारनिर्णयः / Determination of the Modes of Meditation

on Śrīkaṇṭha-Śiva

ध्येयमित्युच्यते सद्भिस्तच्च सांबः स्वयं शिवः । विमुक्तिप्रत्ययं पूर्णमैश्वर्यं चाणिमादिकम्

dhyeyamityucyate sadbhistacca sāṃbaḥ svayaṃ śivaḥ | vimuktipratyayaṃ pūrṇamaiśvaryaṃ cāṇimādikam

Les sages déclarent que le véritable objet de méditation n’est autre que Sāmba, Śiva Lui-même. De cette contemplation naît la certitude de la délivrance, ainsi qu’une souveraineté parfaite, incluant les accomplissements subtils à commencer par aṇimā.

ध्येयम्(that which is) to be meditated upon
ध्येयम्:
कर्म (Object/predicate)
TypeNoun
Rootध्येय (कृदन्त, भाव्य/यत्, √ध्यै)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be meditated upon’)
इतिthus
इति:
सम्बन्ध/निपात (Quotative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, इत्यादि-निपात (quotative particle)
उच्यतेis said/is called
उच्यते:
क्रिया (Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)
सद्भिःby the good/wise (people)
सद्भिः:
कर्ता (Agent in passive)
TypeNoun
Rootसत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘सत्’ = good/wise persons
तत्that
तत्:
कर्ता (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम
and
:
सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
साम्बःSāmba (Śiva with Umā)
साम्बः:
कर्ता (Predicate nominative)
TypeNoun
Rootसाम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शिवस्य नाम
स्वयम्himself
स्वयम्:
सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वयम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb: ‘himself’)
शिवःŚiva
शिवः:
कर्ता (Predicate nominative)
TypeNoun
Rootशिव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन
विमुक्ति-प्रत्ययम्the assurance/certainty of liberation
विमुक्ति-प्रत्ययम्:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootविमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन
पूर्णम्complete
पूर्णम्:
विशेषण (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्ण (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, √पॄ ‘to fill’)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘ऐश्वर्यम्’)
ऐश्वर्यम्lordly power/sovereignty
ऐश्वर्यम्:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन
and
:
सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
अणिमा-आदिकम्(powers) beginning with aṇimā, etc.
अणिमा-आदिकम्:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootअणिमा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘आदि’ = etc. (ādi-sense)

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

S
Shiva
U
Uma (Shakti)

FAQs

It teaches that the supreme dhyeya is Sāmba Śiva—Śiva inseparable from Śakti—and that steadfast meditation on Him culminates in certainty of liberation (vimukti-pratyaya), with secondary yogic attainments arising incidentally.

Meditation on Sāmba Śiva can be practiced through saguna supports such as the Śiva-liṅga; the liṅga serves as a sacred focus that steadies awareness on Śiva as Pati, the liberating Lord, rather than on mere power or phenomena.

It points to dhyāna (focused contemplation) on Śiva as the primary practice; in Shaiva observance this is commonly supported by mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship, while treating siddhis like aṇimā as non-goals.