Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

एवं देवैस्समारब्धं तृणमुद्दिश्य यत्नतः । व्यर्थमासीदहो कृष्ण यक्षस्यात्मबलेन वै

Transliteration

evaṃ devaissamārabdhaṃ tṛṇamuddiśya yatnataḥ | vyarthamāsīdaho kṛṣṇa yakṣasyātmabalena vai

Translation

かくして神々が大いに努め、ただ一本の草葉を目当てにしたにもかかわらず、その企ては空しく終わった――おおクリシュナよ――それはヤクシャ自身の内なる力によるのであった。

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (प्रकार-वाचक)

• devaiḥ: by the gods
• devaiḥ: Kartṛ (कर्तृ/Agent; with passive participle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• samārabdham: undertaken
• samārabdham: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√rabh (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘undertaken/started’ (agrees with implied ‘karma’/act)

• tṛṇam: a blade of grass
• tṛṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• uddiśya: having targeted; with reference to
• uddiśya: Kriyā-krama (क्रिया-क्रम/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय: ल्यप्), ‘having aimed at/with reference to’

• yatnataḥ: with effort
• yatnataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अव्ययीभाव), ‘with effort/earnestly’

• vyartham: in vain
• vyartham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vyartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative used adverbially (द्वितीया-अव्ययवत्), ‘in vain’

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• aho: alas!
• aho: Bhāva (भाव/Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, exclamation particle (विस्मय/खेद)

• kṛṣṇa: O Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• yakṣasya: of the Yakṣa
• yakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ātma-balena: by (his) own power
• ātma-balena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष (‘by the power of himself/own power’)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (निश्चय/खलु-अर्थ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Yaksha
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It highlights that mere exertion, when driven by pride or limited agency, can fail; true spiritual maturity in Shaiva thought comes from recognizing dependence on the Supreme (Pati) rather than assuming autonomous power.

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

The verse supports the Shaiva Purana theme that divine reality is not conquered by force; Linga/Saguna Shiva worship trains surrender, humility, and receptivity to grace rather than egoic achievement.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair effort with devotion—japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and contemplative humility—so practice is aligned with grace rather than self-assertion.