Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 38

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

एष एव परो देवो विश्वकर्मा महेश्वरः । हृदये संनिविष्टं तं ज्ञात्वैवामृतमश्नुते

Transliteration

eṣa eva paro devo viśvakarmā maheśvaraḥ | hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaṃ taṃ jñātvaivāmṛtamaśnute

Translation

Dialah satu-satunya Dewa Tertinggi—Maheśvara, Viśvakarmā. Barangsiapa mengenal-Nya sebagai Yang bersemayam di dalam hati, sungguh ia mengecap keabadian (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् devaḥ

• devaḥ: god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viśva-karmā: Viśvakarmā (he whose work is the universe)
• viśva-karmā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदik) + karman (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (viśvaṃ karma yasya saḥ) उपाधि/नाम

• mahā-īśvaraḥ: the great Lord (Maheśvara)
• mahā-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदik) + īśvara (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (mahān īśvaraḥ)

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• saṃniviṣṭam: ensconced/entered
• saṃniviṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam+ni+viś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् tam; अर्थः 'entered/ensconced'

• tam: him/that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदik/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• amṛtam: immortality/nectar
• amṛtam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛta (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• aśnute: attains
• aśnute: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; अर्थः 'attains/enjoys'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Maheśvara)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is both transcendent (the Supreme Lord) and immanent (seated in the heart); realizing Him inwardly leads to amṛtatva—freedom from death and bondage, i.e., mokṣa.

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

Linga worship externalizes devotion to Maheśvara, while this verse emphasizes the inner Linga—Śiva as the indwelling presence. Both converge when the devotee recognizes the worshipped Lord as the same Reality within.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A heart-centered dhyāna: contemplate Maheśvara as established in the hṛdaya while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), aligning outer worship with inner realization.