Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

संयुक्तमेतद्द्वितयं क्षरमक्षरमेव च । व्यक्ताव्यक्तं बिभर्तीशो विश्वं विश्वविमोचकः

Transliteration

saṃyuktametaddvitayaṃ kṣaramakṣarameva ca | vyaktāvyaktaṃ bibhartīśo viśvaṃ viśvavimocakaḥ

Translation

主はこの二重の実在—滅するものと滅せぬもの、顕れたものと未顕のもの—を抱き保たれる。主は宇宙を支え、世界の解放者（ヴィシュヴァ・ヴィモーチャカ）として、それを束縛から解き放つ。

Word by Word

• संयुक्तम्: joined/combined
• संयुक्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying एतत्-द्वितयम्)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्वितयम्: pair/twofold set
• द्वितयम्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षरम्: the perishable
• क्षरम्: सम्बन्ध (Apposition/Member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (द्वितयस्य अङ्गम्)

• अक्षरम्: the imperishable
• अक्षरम्: सम्बन्ध (Apposition/Member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (द्वितयस्य अङ्गम्)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• व्यक्त-अव्यक्तम्: the manifest and the unmanifest
• व्यक्त-अव्यक्तम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (pair: manifest and unmanifest)

• बिभर्ति: bears/supports
• बिभर्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विश्व-विमोचकः: liberator of the universe
• विश्व-विमोचकः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विमोचक (प्रातिपदिक; from वि-√मुच्, agent-noun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य विमोचकः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who contains and governs both levels of reality (manifest/unmanifest, perishable/imperishable) and who alone can free the bound soul from pasha (bondage), granting moksha.

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

The Linga symbolizes Shiva as the ground of both vyakta and avyakta—form and formlessness together. Worship of Saguna Shiva through the Linga becomes a doorway to realize the Nirguna (imperishable, unmanifest) Lord who liberates.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner support of all states (seen and unseen) while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating detachment from the kshara (perishable) and seeking refuge in the akshara Lord for liberation.