Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

प्रज्ञया परमं ज्ञानमचिराल्लभते स्थिरम् । प्रसीदति शिवस्तस्य यस्य ज्ञानं प्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

prajñayā paramaṃ jñānamacirāllabhate sthiram | prasīdati śivastasya yasya jñānaṃ pratiṣṭhitam

Translation

般若（prajñā）によって、至上にして揺るがぬ智をほどなく得る。かの智が堅く安住する者に、シヴァは慈悲を垂れ給う。

Word by Word

• प्रज्ञया: by wisdom
• प्रज्ञया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु (means)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ज्ञानम् इति विशेष्यस्य

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अचिरात्: soon, before long
• अचिरात्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिरात् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स्थिरम्: steady, firm
• स्थिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ज्ञानम् इति विशेष्यस्य

• प्रसीदति: is pleased, becomes gracious
• प्रसीदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध—‘तस्य’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्ध

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: established, firmly set
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ज्ञानम् इति विशेष्यस्य

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva teaching in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mature discernment (prajñā) ripens into stable, liberating knowledge, and that such firmly established jñāna becomes the basis for Śiva’s anugraha (grace), which is central to Shaiva Siddhanta soteriology.

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

Linga/Saguna worship disciplines the mind and awakens prajñā through devotion and purity; when that devotion matures into steady insight, the devotee becomes fit for Śiva’s grace—moving from outer worship toward inner realization of Pati (Śiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate prajñā through Shaiva sādhanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditation on Śiva/Linga, and steady contemplation until knowledge becomes unwavering (sthiram), inviting Śiva’s prasāda.