Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake

Devanagari script

विश्वस्यापि विधात्ःणां निग्रहानुग्रहक्षमम् । चतुर्बाहुमुदारांगं चन्द्ररेखाविभूषितम्

Transliteration

viśvasyāpi vidhātḥṇāṃ nigrahānugrahakṣamam | caturbāhumudārāṃgaṃ candrarekhāvibhūṣitam

Translation

Il est Celui qui, même au-dessus des créateurs du cosmos, a pleinement pouvoir de retenue et de grâce — de châtier et de bénir. À quatre bras, d’une forme noble et rayonnante, il est orné du signe du croissant de lune.

Word by Word

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• विधातॄणाम्: of the creators/ordainers
• विधातॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• निग्रहानुग्रहक्षमम्: capable of restraint and grace
• निग्रहानुग्रहक्षमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (निग्रहश्च अनुग्रहश्च) + तत्पुरुष (तयोः क्षमः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण

• चतुर्बाहुम्: four-armed
• चतुर्बाहुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (चत्वारः बाहवो यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण

• उदाराङ्गम्: noble-limbed
• उदाराङ्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (उदारम् अङ्गम् यस्य/उदाराङ्गः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण

• चन्द्ररेखाविभूषितम्: adorned with the crescent-moon line
• चन्द्ररेखाविभूषितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रेखा (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक; √भूष् + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (चन्द्रस्य रेखया विभूषितम्); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No direct Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse asserts Śiva’s supremacy even over ‘vidhātṛ’ creators and highlights His twin capacities: nigraha (restraint) and anugraha (grace).

Significance: Doctrinal: reinforces that liberation depends on Pati’s anugraha, not merely on the powers of subordinate cosmic ordainers; encourages surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Śiva beyond all secondary deities.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord—whose two divine functions, nigraha (restraint) and anugraha (grace), govern even the cosmic authorities. In Shaiva Siddhanta, liberation is ultimately granted by His anugraha after the soul is purified through His nigraha.

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

By describing Shiva’s four-armed, crescent-adorned form, the verse supports Saguna upasana—devotional contemplation of Shiva with attributes—while implying the same Lord is the transcendent source beyond all creators, also worshipped as the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the gracious Lord who both disciplines and uplifts, visualizing the crescent-moon-marked Mahadeva while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” seeking anugraha (liberating grace).