Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

अन्यथा संसरन्त्येते नियमान्न शिवः कथम् । कर्ममायानुबन्धोस्य संसारः कथ्यते बुधैः

Transliteration

anyathā saṃsarantyete niyamānna śivaḥ katham | karmamāyānubandhosya saṃsāraḥ kathyate budhaiḥ

Translation

さもなくば、もしシヴァが至上の統御者でないなら、これらの衆生が定めの法に従って輪廻にさまようことなど、いかにしてあり得ようか。賢者は、サンサーラとはカルマとマーヤーとの結びつきから生じる束縛であると説く。

Word by Word

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• saṃsaranti: they transmigrate
• saṃsaranti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ√sṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• ete: these (beings)
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• niyamāt: due to rule/constraint
• niyamāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Pañcamī vibhakti (पञ्चमी/5th case, ablative), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• katham: how?
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative adverb (प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण)

• karma-māyā-anubandhasya: of the bondage/connection of karma and māyā
• karma-māyā-anubandhasya: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + anubandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुषसमास), Genitive: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case), Ekavacana (एकवचन); head: anubandha (अनुबन्ध)

• asya: of this (one)
• asya: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/6th case, genitive), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• saṃsāraḥ: transmigration, worldly existence
• saṃsāraḥ: Karma (कर्म) / Predicate-noun (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• kathyate: is said/called
• kathyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Karmaṇi-prayoga (कर्मणि प्रयोग, passive)

• budhaiḥ: by the wise
• budhaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) in passive / Agent (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (तृतीया/3rd case, instrumental), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines saṃsāra as the jīva’s bondage through karma and māyā, while affirming Śiva as the supreme niyantṛ (regulator) whose grace alone enables release from these bonds.

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

By identifying Śiva as the cosmic governor beyond karma-māyā, it supports Saguna worship (such as Liṅga-pūjā) as a grace-bearing means to loosen karmic bonds and transcend māyic limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Śiva-bhakti and inner detachment from karma’s fruits is implied as the practical antidote to karma–māyā bondage.