Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 52

मङ्गलाचरणम्, तीर्थ-परिसरः, सूतागमनम् — Invocation, Sacred Setting, and the Arrival of Sūta

Devanagari script

धर्मसंज्ञं पुराणं चेत्येवं द्वादश संहिताः । विद्येशं दशसाहस्रमुदितं ग्रंथसंख्यया

Transliteration

dharmasaṃjñaṃ purāṇaṃ cetyevaṃ dvādaśa saṃhitāḥ | vidyeśaṃ daśasāhasramuditaṃ graṃthasaṃkhyayā

Translation

‘ധർമ്മ’ എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള പുരാണം ഇങ്ങനെ ദ്വാദശ സംഹിതകളായി വിന്യസിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. ഗ്രന്ഥഗണനപ്രകാരം ‘വിദ്യേശ്വര’ ഭാഗം ദശസഹസ്ര ശ്ലോകങ്ങളാണെന്ന് പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• धर्म-संज्ञम्: named ‘Dharma’
• धर्म-संज्ञम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (नामनिर्देश: ‘धर्म-संज्ञम्’ = ‘having the name Dharma’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies पुराणम्)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/in this way’)

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनार्थ (used with plural noun संहिताः)

• संहिताः: collections/saṃhitās
• संहिताः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विद्येशम्: Vidyeśa (name/title)
• विद्येशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी: ‘विद्यायाः ईशः’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दश-साहस्रम्: ten thousand
• दश-साहस्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (numerical compound: ‘दश सहस्राणि’ = ten thousand), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उदितम्: declared/stated
• उदितम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies दशसाहस्रम्: ‘stated/declared’)

• ग्रन्थ-संख्यया: by the count of sections/books
• ग्रन्थ-संख्यया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रन्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी: ‘ग्रन्थानां संख्या’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the Shiva Purana as a dharma-oriented revelation organized into twelve saṃhitās, indicating that devotion to Śiva (Pati) and right practice are transmitted through a carefully structured scripture rather than scattered teaching.

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

By naming the Vidyeśvara portion and its extent, the verse points to the foundational section where core disciplines of Śiva-worship—especially the understanding of Saguna Śiva as approachable through the Liṅga and mantra—are systematically taught.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to study and follow the Vidyeśvara-oriented foundations—regular japa (notably the Panchākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’), Liṅga-pūjā, and dhārmic observances—since the Purāṇa is explicitly presented as a guide to dharma.