Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

Śiva’s Boon to Viśvakarman and the Manifestation of Devī

Bhavānī/Parāśakti

Devanagari script

वायुरुवाच । अथ देवो महादेवो महाजलदनादया । वाचा मधुरगंभीरशिवदश्लक्ष्णवर्णया

Transliteration

vāyuruvāca | atha devo mahādevo mahājaladanādayā | vācā madhuragaṃbhīraśivadaślakṣṇavarṇayā

Translation

ວາຍຸກ່າວວ່າ: ແລ້ວໃນການນັ້ນ ພຣະເທວະມະຫາເທວະ ໄດ້ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນກ່າວດ້ວຍສຽງດັ່ງເມກຝົນໃຫຍ່: ຫວານອ່ອນ ແລະ ເລິກຊຶ້ງ, ນຳພາຄວາມມົງຄຸນ, ແລະ ປະດັບດ້ວຍເຄື່ອງໝາຍອັນສູງສົ່ງແຫ່ງຖ້ອຍຄຳທີ່ສົມບູນ.

Word by Word

• वायुः: Vāyu
• वायुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: समनाधिकरण (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक: महा + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• महाजलदनादया: with (a voice) having great cloud-like resonance, etc.
• महाजलदनादया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाजलदनादि (प्रातिपदिक: महा + जलद + नादि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘-आदया’ इति आद्यर्थक-तत्पुरुष (with great thunder-cloud-like sound etc.)

• वाचा: by/with (his) speech
• वाचा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मधुरगंभीरशिवदश्लक्ष्णवर्णया: with a sweet, deep, auspicious-bestowing, smooth-toned (speech)
• मधुरगंभीरशिवदश्लक्ष्णवर्णया: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘वाचा’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर-गंभीर-शिवद-श्लक्ष्ण-वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-कर्मधारयः (मधुरा च गम्भीरा च शिवदा च श्लक्ष्णा च वर्णा यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Vayu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights Śiva’s vāṇī (divine speech) as auspicious and authoritative—supporting śravaṇa (hearing) of Śiva-kathā in pilgrimage and satsanga settings.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: वायुरुवाच । अथ देवो महादेवो महाजलदनादया । वाचा मधुरगंभीरशिवदश्लक्ष्णवर्णया

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva as Pati—the supreme, compassionate teacher—whose speech is both powerful (cloud-like depth) and grace-giving (śiva-dā), indicating that divine instruction itself becomes a means of upliftment and liberation.

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

By portraying Mahādeva speaking with auspicious, well-formed utterance, the text emphasizes Saguna Śiva’s accessible, personal guidance—central to devotional worship where the devotee approaches the Lord (often via the Liṅga) as a living presence who teaches and blesses.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests śravaṇa and mantra-oriented contemplation: listening inwardly to Śiva’s teachings and stabilizing the mind through reverent recitation (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with clear, steady pronunciation.