Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

सगणश्चोमया सार्धं सान्निध्यमकरोत्प्रभुः । यं विनिद्रा जितश्वासा योगिनो दग्धकिल्बिषाः

Transliteration

sagaṇaścomayā sārdhaṃ sānnidhyamakarotprabhuḥ | yaṃ vinidrā jitaśvāsā yogino dagdhakilbiṣāḥ

Translation

Le Seigneur, avec Ses gaṇas et Umā à Ses côtés, s’approcha et demeura en une présence de grâce—Lui que les yogins, sans sommeil, maîtres du souffle et dont les fautes sont consumées, contemplent avec constance.

Word by Word

• स-गणः: with (his) attendants
• स-गणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ ‘सह’) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः ‘गणैः सह’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उमया: with Umā
• उमया: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सार्धम्: together (with)
• सार्धम्: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb/particle: ‘together with’)

• सान्निध्यम्: presence, proximity
• सान्निध्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकरोत्: made/caused
• अकरोत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• वि-निद्राः: sleepless, wakeful
• वि-निद्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण — ‘free from sleep/fully awake’

• जित-श्वासाः: having controlled the breath
• जित-श्वासाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि धातु) + श्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण — ‘having conquered the breath’

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दग्ध-किल्बिषाः: with sins burnt away
• दग्ध-किल्बिषाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध (कृदन्त; √दह् धातु) + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण — ‘whose sins are burnt’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s sānnidhya (gracious presence) as the goal of purified yogic life: when impurities (kilbiṣa) are burned and awareness is steady (vinidrā), the seeker becomes fit to behold and contemplate the Lord with Umā—Pati revealing Himself to the pashu through grace and inner discipline.

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

The verse points to Saguna contemplation—Śiva present with Umā and His gaṇas—showing that devotion and meditation may take a personal form. In Shaiva Siddhanta, such Saguna upāsanā matures the soul toward deeper realization, supported by purity and steadiness of mind and prāṇa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests wakeful meditation with prāṇāyāma (jita-śvāsa) and inner purification—practices traditionally supported by Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined sādhana that reduces tamas (sleep/torpor) and burns impurities.