Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma

Fire and Nectar

Devanagari script

अतो मृत्युंजयायेत्थममृतप्लावनं सदा । शिवशक्त्यमृतस्पर्शे लब्धं येन कुतो मृतिः

Transliteration

ato mṛtyuṃjayāyetthamamṛtaplāvanaṃ sadā | śivaśaktyamṛtasparśe labdhaṃ yena kuto mṛtiḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് മൃത്യുഞ്ജയനാകുവാൻ ഇത് സദാ ലഭ്യമായ ‘അമൃത-പ്ലാവനം’; ശിവശക്തിയുടെ അമൃതസ്പർശംകൊണ്ട് ഇതു ലഭിച്ചവന് മരണമെവിടെ നിന്നു വരും?

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निगमन (therefore)

• मृत्युञ्जय: O Conqueror of Death
• मृत्युञ्जय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्युञ्जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; मृत्युम् जयति इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष (name/title)

• एत्थम्: thus/in this manner
• एत्थम्: Prakara (प्रकार/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अमृतप्लावनम्: nectar-flooding/immersion in nectar
• अमृतप्लावनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृतप्लावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अमृतस्य प्लावनम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala-Adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• शिवशक्ति-अमृत-स्पर्शे: in the touch of Śiva’s power as nectar
• शिवशक्ति-अमृत-स्पर्शे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवशक्ति + अमृत + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: (शिवस्य शक्तिः) + अमृत + स्पर्श; Locative singular

• लब्धम्: obtained
• लब्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘obtained’

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; relative pronoun; Instrumental singular

• कुतः: whence/how (could)
• कुतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb)

• मृतिः: death
• मृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching of the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha

Sthala Purana: Śiva as the supreme healer: by His grace (often narrated as restoring life/wholeness), devotees attain freedom from fear of death; this verse’s ‘mṛtyuṃjaya’ theme resonates with the Vaidyanātha/‘Lord of Physicians’ tradition.

Significance: Sought for healing, longevity, and liberation from fear of death; aligns with mṛtyuñjaya-bhāva (victory over death through Śiva’s grace).

Mantra Metadata

Type: mahamrityunjaya

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It declares that true victory over death arises from receiving the “amṛta-sparśa” (deathless touch) of Shiva’s Śakti—i.e., divine grace that dissolves bondage (pāśa) and establishes the soul (paśu) in Shiva (Pati).

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

Linga-worship and Saguna devotion are presented as accessible supports through which the devotee becomes receptive to Shiva’s Śakti; when that grace is gained, the fear of death and repeated birth is transcended in the Lord’s protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular mantra-japa and contemplative absorption on Shiva united with Śakti—classically supported by practices like Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shiva-dhyāna—cultivating readiness for the transforming “nectar-touch” of grace.