Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution

Devanagari script

मंत्राः सर्वैः पदैर्व्याप्ता वाक्यभावात्पदानि च । वर्णैर्वर्णसमूहं हि पदमाहुर्विपश्चितः

Transliteration

maṃtrāḥ sarvaiḥ padairvyāptā vākyabhāvātpadāni ca | varṇairvarṇasamūhaṃ hi padamāhurvipaścitaḥ

Translation

મંત્રો પોતાના સર્વ પદોથી વ્યાપ્ત છે; અને પદો વાક્યના ભાવ (અભિપ્રાય-અર્થ) થી ઉત્પન્ન થાય છે. વર્ણોથી જ પદ વર્ણસમૂહ બને છે—એવું વિદ્વાનો કહે છે।

Word by Word

• mantrāḥ: mantras
• mantrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• padaiḥ: by words
• padaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vyāptāḥ: pervaded
• vyāptāḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/participial predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vyāp (धातु) + vyāpta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vākya-bhāvāt: from the state of being a sentence
• vākya-bhāvāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (vākya-bhāva = sentence-nature/state)

• padāni: words
• padāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• varṇaiḥ: by phonemes
• varṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• varṇa-samūham: a collection of phonemes
• varṇa-samūham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + samūha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (varṇānām samūhaḥ)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• padam: a word
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• āhuḥ: they say
• āhuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vipaścitaḥ: the wise
• vipaścitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipaścit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra is not merely sound: its power unfolds through correct syllables (varṇa), coherent words (pada), and the inner purport of the whole utterance (vākya-bhāva). In Shaiva Siddhanta, this aligns japa with understanding (jñāna) so the mind turns toward Pati (Shiva) rather than remaining at mere recitation.

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

Linga-worship commonly includes mantra-japa and śiva-nāma. This verse supports Saguna upāsanā by emphasizing that pronunciation and meaning must converge—sound, word, and intention—so the devotee’s offering becomes inwardly connected to Shiva, not only externally performed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with śuddha-ucchāraṇa (clear syllables) and bhāvanā (contemplation of meaning). Let each syllable and word be consciously offered to Shiva, rather than repeating mechanically.