Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

माध्यस्थेनापि निग्राह्यान्यो निगृह्णाति मार्गतः । तस्याप्यवश्यं यत्किंचिन्नैर्घृण्यमनुवर्तते

Transliteration

mādhyasthenāpi nigrāhyānyo nigṛhṇāti mārgataḥ | tasyāpyavaśyaṃ yatkiṃcinnairghṛṇyamanuvartate

Translation

たとえ中立の者であっても、戒むべき者を正しい道に則って抑え戒めるなら、その人にもまた、わずかながら厳しさや不憫さの影が必ず伴う。

Word by Word

• माध्यस्थेन: by a neutral person
• माध्यस्थेन: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in active; तृतीया as 'by')
• Type: Noun
• Root: माध्यस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; 'neutral/indifferent person'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-भाव (even)

• निग्राह्यः: one who deserves restraint
• निग्राह्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निग्राह्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त (यत्/gerundive) from नि+ग्रह्: 'to be restrained/punished'

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'another person' (agent)

• निगृह्णाति: restrains, punishes
• निगृह्णाति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मार्गतः: rightly, in due course
• मार्गतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: 'मार्गतः' = by way of/rightly/according to the path

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-भाव (also/even)

• अवश्यम्: certainly
• अवश्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): certainly/inevitably

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• किञ्चित्: some (amount)
• किञ्चित्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Indefinite qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• नैर्घृण्यम्: harshness, lack of compassion
• नैर्घृण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्घृण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनुवर्तते: follows, accompanies
• अनुवर्तते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that even “righteous correction” can carry a subtle residue of cruelty; in Shaiva thought, such hardness becomes a refined pasha (bondage) that must be purified through compassion, restraint, and Shiva-centered discernment.

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee to see Shiva as the inner witness in all beings; therefore discipline should be done without hatred, remembering the same Pati (Shiva) abides in the one being corrected and in the corrector.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) before and after any act of correction, and cultivate ahiṃsā in speech—so discipline remains dharmic without turning into nairghṛṇya (pitilessness).