Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

गौरीप्रवेशः—शिवसाक्षात्कारः

Gaurī’s Entry and the Vision of Śiva

Devanagari script

सस्मितो विवृतैर्नेत्रैस्तद्वक्त्रं प्रपिबन्निव । तया संभाषणायेशः पूर्वभाषितमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

sasmito vivṛtairnetraistadvaktraṃ prapibanniva | tayā saṃbhāṣaṇāyeśaḥ pūrvabhāṣitamabravīt

Translation

微笑みつつ、まるでその面影を飲み干すかのように目を大きく開き、主は彼女と語らんとして、先に語った言葉をふたたび口にした。

Word by Word

• सस्मितः: smiling
• सस्मितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + स्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्मितः सह) — Nominative singular

• विवृतैः: with opened
• विवृतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वृत (कृदन्त; √वृ धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• नेत्रैः: eyes
• नेत्रैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘vaktram’)

• वक्त्रम्: face
• वक्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• प्रपिबन्: as if drinking (in)
• प्रपिबन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: as if
• इव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपात (comparative particle)

• तया: by her/with her
• तया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/with her)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• संभाषणाय: for conversation
• संभाषणाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + भाषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन — Dative singular (purpose)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• पूर्वभाषितम्: what was spoken earlier
• पूर्वभाषितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वं भाषितम्)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā account)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva as the compassionate Pati who turns toward the soul with grace—His attentive gaze and repeated words symbolize patient divine guidance that loosens pāśa (bondage) through loving instruction and presence.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva—personal, responsive, and relational—showing that devotion is not merely ritual but a living exchange where the Lord “speaks again” to uplift the devotee’s understanding and steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests dhyāna and śravaṇa: steady, loving contemplation of Śiva’s form and attentive listening to His teaching—practically supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a focused, receptive mind.