Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

Śiva’s Freedom from Bondage and His Cosmic Support (शिवस्य अबन्धत्वं तथा सर्वाधिष्ठानत्वम्)

Devanagari script

शुद्धा स्वाभाविकी तस्य शक्तिस्सर्वातिशायिनी । ज्ञानमप्रतिमं नित्यं वपुरत्यन्तनिर्मितम्

Transliteration

śuddhā svābhāvikī tasya śaktissarvātiśāyinī | jñānamapratimaṃ nityaṃ vapuratyantanirmitam

Translation

Sa Śakti est pure, innée, et surpasse tout. Sa Connaissance est incomparable et éternelle, et sa Forme est parfaitement et souverainement constituée—exempte de tout défaut ou limitation.

Word by Word

• śuddhā: pure
• śuddhā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with शक्तिः

• svābhāvikī: intrinsic / natural
• svābhāvikī: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svābhāvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with शक्तिः

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaktiḥ: power
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-atiśāyinī: surpassing all
• sarva-atiśāyinī: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + atiśāyin (प्रातिपदिक; √śī (धातु) with ati-; ‘surpassing’)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); compound: ‘surpassing all’ (सर्वान् अतिशेते इति)

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1) or Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); here as subject-like listing item (प्रथमा)

• apratimam: incomparable
• apratimam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pratima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ज्ञानम्

• nityam: eternal
• nityam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ज्ञानम् (or used adverbially ‘always’)

• vapuḥ: body / form
• vapuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• atyanta-nirmitam: utterly well-formed / perfectly constituted
• atyanta-nirmitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atyanta (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + nirmita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √mā (धातु) with nir- + क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); nirmita = past passive participle (क्त) ‘made/formed’; compound: ‘perfectly/utterly formed’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It proclaims Śiva as Pati—the Supreme—whose intrinsic Śakti and Jñāna are eternally pure and unequalled, guiding the seeker to trust that liberation arises from aligning with His flawless, transcendent reality rather than worldly limitations (pāśa).

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

Though Śiva is described in transcendent terms (pure, incomparable, eternal), Linga worship provides a saguna support for meditation on that very nirguna greatness—His innate power and knowledge—making the formless truth approachable through a sacred symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa and dhyāna on Śiva’s purity and supremacy—especially Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—while cultivating inner śuddhi (purification); this verse supports contemplative meditation more than a specific external rite.