Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

अतः सर्वगणेशत्वं कुमारत्वं च शाश्वतम् । सह दुग्धाब्धिना तस्मै प्रददौ शंकरः स्वयम्

Transliteration

ataḥ sarvagaṇeśatvaṃ kumāratvaṃ ca śāśvatam | saha dugdhābdhinā tasmai pradadau śaṃkaraḥ svayam

Translation

Karena itu Śaṅkara sendiri menganugerahkan kepadanya kekuasaan abadi atas semua Gaṇa dan kedudukan kekal sebagai Putra Ilahi; serta bersama itu menganugerahkan pula Samudra Susu sebagai karunia penopang yang suci.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक-निपात (therefore/for this reason)

• सर्व-गण-ईशत्वम्: the status of lord of all gaṇas
• सर्व-गण-ईशत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘सर्वेषां गणानां ईशः’ + तद्धित ‘त्व’ = lordship over all gaṇas

• कुमारत्वम्: the state of being Kumāra
• कुमारत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (त्व)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the two statuses)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-उपपद (with)

• दुग्ध-अब्धिना: with the ocean of milk
• दुग्ध-अब्धिना: Sahakarana (सहकरण/Instrument of accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘दुग्धस्य अब्धिः’ = ocean of milk

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; दान-सम्प्रदान

• प्रददौ: gave/bestowed
• प्रददौ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Emphasis on agent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः-प्रयोग (emphatic: himself)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account as received in the Vayu Samhita tradition)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Mythic cosmic ocean motif (kṣīra-samudra) invoked as a divine endowment

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Ganas
• Milk Ocean

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who, by sheer anugraha (grace), confers spiritual authority and an enduring divine station—showing that true elevation is granted by the Lord, not merely earned by worldly power.

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

The bestowal is attributed to Śaṅkara Himself, emphasizing Saguna Śiva as the compassionate giver of boons; in Linga worship, devotees approach the manifest Lord for purification, protection, and rightful placement within dharma under His sovereignty.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to seek Śiva’s grace through daily Linga-pūjā with Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and a sattvic offering such as milk/abhisheka, aligning oneself with Śiva’s order (gaṇa-dharma) and devotion.