Shloka 54

Vāmadeva-mata: Rahasya-upadeśa

The Esoteric Teaching of Vāmadeva’s Doctrine

Devanagari script

स्वाम्येकः सर्ब्वजन्तूनां पाशच्छेदकरो गुरुः । अतस्त्वत्कृपया सोऽर्थः श्रोतव्यो हि मया गुरो

Transliteration

svāmyekaḥ sarbvajantūnāṃ pāśacchedakaro guruḥ | atastvatkṛpayā so'rthaḥ śrotavyo hi mayā guro

Translation

നിങ്ങളേ ഏകമായി സർവ്വജീവികളുടെ സ്വാമിയും പാശബന്ധം ഛേദിക്കുന്ന ഗുരുവുമാണ്. അതിനാൽ, ഹേ ഗുരോ, നിങ്ങളുടെ കൃപയാൽ ആ തത്ത്വം ഞാൻ നിർബന്ധമായി ശ്രവിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• svāmī: master, lord
• svāmī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekaḥ: one, sole
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying svāmī

• sarva-jantūnām: of all beings
• sarva-jantūnām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); sarva-jantūnām = 'of all creatures'

• pāśa-ccheda-karaḥ: cutter of bonds
• pāśa-ccheda-karaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ccheda (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pāśa-ccheda-karaḥ = 'one who causes cutting of bonds'

• guruḥ: teacher, guru
• guruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• atas: therefore
• atas: Sambandha/Hetu-dyotaka (हेतु-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverbial particle (निपात) meaning 'therefore/for this reason'

• tvat-kṛpayā: by your grace/compassion
• tvat-kṛpayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kṛpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'by your compassion'

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Viśeṣaṇa/Anuvāda (अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• arthaḥ: meaning, matter
• arthaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrotavyaḥ: should be heard
• śrotavyaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + tavya (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); passive necessity: 'to be heard'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) for emphasis/assurance

• mayā: by me / by myself
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• guro: O guru
• guro: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

A disciple/devotee addressing Lord Shiva as the supreme Guru (Pati) in the Kailasha Samhita discourse

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati—the one Lord and Guru of all beings—whose grace alone cuts pāśa (bondage such as karma, mala/impurity, and ignorance), making true liberation possible through receiving His teaching.

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

Seeing Shiva as the living Guru supports Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—where devotion, surrender, and listening to Shiva’s doctrine become the means by which the bound soul approaches the transcendent Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key practice is śravaṇa (reverent listening) with surrender to Shiva-as-Guru; it is naturally supported by daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship that cultivates grace and inner detachment from bonds.