Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

पुनश्चोर्ध्वं गतस्तस्मादतीत्य स्थानपञ्चकम् । श्रीकण्ठाज्ज्ञानमासाद्य तस्माच्छैवपुरं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

punaścordhvaṃ gatastasmādatītya sthānapañcakam | śrīkaṇṭhājjñānamāsādya tasmācchaivapuraṃ vrajet

Translation

さらに彼はその界よりいっそう上へ昇り、五つの住処を超え、シリーカンṭハ（主シヴァ）より救済の智を得て、のちにシャイヴァプラ（Śaivapura）—至上のシヴァの世界—へ赴き、霊魂を縛る絆を離れる。

Word by Word

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• ūrdhvam: upwards
• ūrdhvam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prayoga (अव्ययप्रयोग), adverbial accusative (द्वितीया-अव्ययीभाव)

• gataḥ: having gone
• gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु) → gata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta: past passive participle (क्त/कृत), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used predicatively

• tasmāt: from that (place/thereafter)
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• atītya: having passed beyond
• atītya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati-√i (अति + इ धातु) → atītya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta: gerund/absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• sthāna-pañcakam: the set of five stations/places
• sthāna-pañcakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (स्थान प्रातिपदिक) + pañcaka (पञ्चक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘five (as a set) of places’

• śrīkaṇṭhāt: from Śrīkaṇṭha
• śrīkaṇṭhāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīkaṇṭha (श्रीकण्ठ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (ज्ञान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āsādya: having attained
• āsādya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sad (आ + सद् धातु) → āsādya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta: gerund/absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• tasmāt: from there/thereafter
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• śaiva-puram: Śaiva city/abode of Śiva
• śaiva-puram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (शैव प्रातिपदिक) + pura (पुर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘Śaiva city’

• vrajet: should go
• vrajet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a shrine legend; it articulates a liberation-map: ascent beyond a ‘fivefold set of abodes’ (sthāna-pañcaka), reception of saving jñāna from Śrīkaṇṭha, and entry into Śaiva-pura (Śivaloka).

Significance: Doctrinal ‘inner pilgrimage’: transcending graded lokas and stations through Śiva’s grace-bestowed knowledge; points to mokṣa rather than merit-based heaven.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: trans-lokic ascent beyond ‘five abodes’; transition from bhoga to jñāna leading to Śaiva-pura

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Śrīkaṇṭha)

FAQs

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

It presents liberation as an ascent guided by Śiva’s grace: the soul transcends lower spiritual stations, receives jñāna from Śrīkaṇṭha (Pati), and reaches Śaivapura—symbolizing freedom from pāśa (bondage) and fulfillment of the soul’s destiny in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

Śrīkaṇṭha is Saguna Śiva—the compassionate Lord who can be approached through Linga-worship, mantra, and devotion. The verse implies that worship matures into Śiva-given knowledge (jñāna), which carries the devotee beyond intermediate realms to Śiva’s own abode.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is upward-focused dhyāna (meditative ascent) on Śrīkaṇṭha/Śiva, supported by Shaiva sādhanā such as Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady devotion, culminating in jñāna bestowed by the Lord.