Shloka 83

Umāyāḥ Kriyāyoga-Rahasya

The Esoteric Teaching on Umā’s Kriyāyoga

Devanagari script

उमामहेश्वरादीनि व्रतान्यन्यानि यान्यपि । देवीप्रियाणि कार्याणि स्वभक्त्यैवं मुमुक्षुभिः

Transliteration

umāmaheśvarādīni vratānyanyāni yānyapi | devīpriyāṇi kāryāṇi svabhaktyaivaṃ mumukṣubhiḥ

Translation

解脱を求める者は、自らの堅固な帰依をもって、ウマー＝マヘーシュヴァラの誓戒をはじめとする諸誓戒をも修し、女神に愛される行いをなすべきである。

Word by Word

• umā-maheśvara-ādīni: beginning with Umā and Maheśvara
• umā-maheśvara-ādīni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: umā (प्रातिपदिक) + maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; -ādi-प्रत्ययान्त समास ("beginning with")

• vratāni: vows/observances
• vratāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• anyāni: other
• anyāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• yāni: which
• yāni: Anvaya-sambandha (अन्वय-संबन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे "also/even"

• devī-priyāṇi: dear to the Goddess
• devī-priyāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देव्याः प्रियाणि)

• kāryāṇi: acts to be done/duties
• kāryāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत् प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• sva-bhaktyā: by one’s own devotion
• sva-bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वा भक्ति:)

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) "thus/in this manner"

• mumukṣubhiḥ: by/with seekers of liberation
• mumukṣubhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mumukṣu (प्रातिपदिक; मुच्-धातोः सन्/इच्छार्थक कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; इच्छार्थक (desiderative sense) "desiring liberation"

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Positions Devī-priya karmas and Umā-Maheśvara-type vows as mokṣa-oriented disciplines; in Siddhānta, such caryā/kriyā cultivate bhakti and reduce pāśa’s hold, preparing the paśu for Śiva’s liberating grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that moksha-oriented seekers should combine sincere bhakti with disciplined observances (vratas), especially those honoring Shiva and the Goddess together, because such devotion purifies the bound soul (paśu) and loosens bondage (pāśa) under the grace of the Divine (Pati).

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

By recommending vratas centered on Uma–Maheshvara, the verse supports Saguna worship—reverencing Shiva (often through the Linga) together with Shakti—where devotional acts and vows become concrete means for inner purification and divine grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests undertaking Shiva–Shakti-oriented vratas and “devī-priya” acts with firm devotion; in practice this commonly aligns with Linga-pūjā, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and supportive Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where customary.