Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

आत्मानं च पृथङ्मत्वा प्रेरितारं ततः पृथक् । असौ जुष्टस्ततस्तेन ह्यमृतत्वाय कल्पते

Transliteration

ātmānaṃ ca pṛthaṅmatvā preritāraṃ tataḥ pṛthak | asau juṣṭastatastena hyamṛtatvāya kalpate

Translation

自己を別なるものとして分別し、さらにその自己とは別に「促す者」たる主宰を認識するとき、その人は主に受け入れられる。かくして主の恩寵により、不死（解脱）にふさわしい者となる。

Word by Word

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: कर्म (कर्मपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having thought/considered’

• प्रेरितारम्: the instigator/prompter
• प्रेरितारम्: कर्म (कर्मपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रेर्/√ईर् (धातु) + तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; agent noun ‘one who prompts’

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), क्रम/हेतु/अपादानार्थ ‘thereafter/from that’

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• असौ: he/that person
• असौ: कर्ता (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• जुष्टः: favoured/accepted
• जुष्टः: विधेय (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘favoured/accepted/associated’

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: करण (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अमृतत्वाय: for immortality
• अमृतत्वाय: सम्प्रदान (प्रयोजन-दत्तिव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; अमृत + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; Dative singular (purpose)

• कल्पते: becomes/is fit
• कल्पते: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘is fit/becomes’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a key Shaiva Siddhanta insight: the soul (paśu) is distinct from Shiva (Pati). Right discrimination and surrender invite Shiva’s grace, which alone makes one fit for amṛtatva—moksha beyond death.

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

Linga-worship supports the inner recognition of Shiva as the supreme Impeller distinct from the individual self. Through Saguna upasana (Linga, mantra, puja), the devotee matures into clear discernment and becomes ‘juṣṭa’—accepted by Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner controller (preritā) while repeating the Panchakshara—“Om Namah Shivaya”—and cultivate viveka (discernment) between the changing self-experience and the Lord who impels all; this aligns the seeker for Shiva’s anugraha (grace).