Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

सा तु मायात्मिका शक्तिर्योगनिद्रा च वैष्णवी । शंखचक्रत्रिशूलादिसायुधाष्टमहाभुजा

Transliteration

sā tu māyātmikā śaktiryoganidrā ca vaiṣṇavī | śaṃkhacakratriśūlādisāyudhāṣṭamahābhujā

Translation

അവൾ മായാസ്വരൂപിണിയായ ശക്തി; വൈഷ്ണവീ യോഗനിദ്രയും തന്നേ. അഷ്ടമഹാഭുജയായി ശംഖം, ചക്രം, ത്രിശൂലം മുതലായ ആയുധങ്ങൾ ധരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• माया-आत्मिका: of the nature of māyā
• माया-आत्मिका: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ङीप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मायायाः आत्मा यस्याः/whose nature is māyā)

• शक्तिः: power, Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• योग-निद्रा: yogic sleep
• योग-निद्रा: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य निद्रा/yogic sleep)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वैष्णवी: Vaiṣṇavī
• वैष्णवी: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषनाम (epithet)

• शंख-चक्र-त्रिशूल-आदि-स-आयुधा: bearing weapons like conch, discus, trident, etc.
• शंख-चक्र-त्रिशूल-आदि-स-आयुधा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स (अव्यय/सह) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + ङीप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (शंखचक्रत्रिशूलादीनि आयुधानि यस्याः/she who has weapons such as conch, discus, trident etc.)

• अष्ट-महा-भुजा: having eight mighty arms
• अष्ट-महा-भुजा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + ङीप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टौ महान्तः भुजाः यस्याः/eight great arms)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Yoganidrā implies cosmic slumber/veil sustaining manifestation—conceptual (not a specific astronomical event).

Characters & Entities

• Shakti
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse identifies a divine Śakti as Māyā itself— the veiling power that makes the world-experience possible. In Shaiva Siddhanta language, it points to how the Paśu (individual soul) becomes conditioned by Pāśa (bondage) through Māyā, and why discernment and Shiva-oriented sādhanā are needed to move toward Moksha.

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

By describing Māyā-Śakti as a powerful, weapon-bearing goddess, the text presents a saguna (formed) expression of cosmic power. Linga worship in the Shiva Purana aims at recognizing Shiva as Pati beyond Māyā, while honoring the operative Śakti within creation—thus devotion to the Linga becomes a means to transcend the veiling force described here.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is vigilance against “yoganidrā” (spiritual dullness/veiling) through mantra-japa—especially Shiva-centered japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya)—combined with steady meditation to pierce Māyā and reorient the mind toward Shiva.