Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

उपमन्युतपः-निवारणप्रसङ्गः / Śiva restrains Upamanyu’s tapas (Śiva disguised as Indra)

Devanagari script

वायुरुवाच । एवमुक्त्वा स्थितं प्रेक्ष्य कृतांजलिपुटं द्विजम् । प्राह गंभीरया वाचा शक्ररूपधरो हरः

Transliteration

vāyuruvāca | evamuktvā sthitaṃ prekṣya kṛtāṃjalipuṭaṃ dvijam | prāha gaṃbhīrayā vācā śakrarūpadharo haraḥ

Translation

ヴāユは語った。かく言い終えると、シャクラ（インドラ）の姿をとったハラ（シヴァ）は、合掌して恭しく立つバラモンを見つめ、深く厳かな声で彼に語りかけた。

Word by Word

• vāyuḥ: Vāyu
• vāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable), prakāra-avyaya (manner adverb)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action)

• sthitam: standing/remaining
• sthitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (प्रातिपदिक; √sthā धातु से क्त)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular); kta-participle used adjectivally

• prekṣya: having looked at
• prekṣya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√īkṣ (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), lyap-pratyaya (ल्यप्) sense; pūrvakāla-kriyā

• kṛta-añjali-puṭam: with joined palms
• kṛta-añjali-puṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृत, क्त) + añjali (अञ्जलि) + puṭa (पुट) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (determinative) ‘kṛtaḥ añjali-puṭaḥ’ (one whose hands are joined); Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• dvijam: the brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• dvijam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• prāha: said/spoke
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√ah (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• gaṃbhīrayā: with deep (voice)
• gaṃbhīrayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaṃbhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• vācā: by/with speech
• vācā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• śakra-rūpa-dharaḥ: bearing Śakra’s (Indra’s) form
• śakra-rūpa-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakra (शक्र) + rūpa (रूप) + dhara (धर) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa ‘śakrasya rūpaṃ dharati’ (bearing Indra’s form); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

Speaker

Vayu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Brahmin

FAQs

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

It highlights humility and surrender (añjali) as the proper inner posture of the devotee, and shows that Śiva, the supreme Pati, freely engages the devotee through accessible, personal (saguṇa) forms to bestow guidance and grace.

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

Though the verse narrates Śiva in a manifest disguise (Śakra-rūpa), it reflects the same saguṇa principle seen in Liṅga worship: the transcendent Lord becomes approachable through a form so the devotee can offer reverence and receive instruction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is añjali with attentive stillness—standing in reverence and listening. As a Shaiva takeaway, one may pair this with mental japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while maintaining a humble, prayerful posture.