Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

शंभो प्रणववाच्यस्य भवनात्तज्जपादपि । या सिद्धिस्सा परा प्राप्या भवत्येव न संशयः

Transliteration

śaṃbho praṇavavācyasya bhavanāttajjapādapi | yā siddhissā parā prāpyā bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Ô Śambhu, en contemplant Celui que désigne la syllabe sacrée Oṃ, et de même en répétant (japa) ce Praṇava, l’accomplissement suprême—quelle que soit la plus haute siddhi—devient assurément accessible ; il n’y a nul doute.

Word by Word

• शम्भो: O Śambhu
• शम्भो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रणव-वाच्यस्य: of the one denoted by Praṇava
• प्रणव-वाच्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रणवेन वाच्यः)

• भवनात्: from contemplation/realization (bhavana)
• भवनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (from/through contemplation/being)

• तत्-जपात्: from its repetition (japa)
• तत्-जपात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक) + जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तस्य जपः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• या: which
• या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सिद्धिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (relative pronoun)

• सिद्धिः: attainment/success
• सिद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अन्वयार्थक (correlative pronoun)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सिद्धिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्राप्या: to be attained
• प्राप्या: Sadhya (साध्य/To-be-attained predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—प्राप्तव्या (to be attained)

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एव: certainly
• एव: Visheshana (विशेषण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (certainly)

• न: no/not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; न इत्यनेन निषिद्धः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śaṃbho praṇavavācyasya bhavanāttajjapādapi | yā siddhissā parā prāpyā bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that realization of Śiva (Pati), who is indicated by Oṃ, arises through bhāvanā (steady contemplative absorption) and through Praṇava-japa, culminating in the highest siddhi—liberation-oriented attainment.

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

Praṇava-japa and contemplation can be done while worshipping the Liṅga as Saguna Śiva (with form and attributes), which then leads the devotee toward the deeper, subtler recognition of Śiva as the supreme reality indicated by Oṃ.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Praṇava-japa (repetition of Oṃ) together with bhāvanā—focused meditation on Śiva—optionally alongside Liṅga-pūjā, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) application, and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines.