Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma

Fire and Nectar

Devanagari script

यो वेद दहनं गुह्यं प्लावनं च यथोदितम् । अग्नीषोमपदं हित्वा न स भूयो ऽभिजायते

Transliteration

yo veda dahanaṃ guhyaṃ plāvanaṃ ca yathoditam | agnīṣomapadaṃ hitvā na sa bhūyo 'bhijāyate

Translation

ശാസ്ത്രപ്രകാരം ഗൂഢമായ ‘ദഹനം’യും ‘പ്ലാവനം’യും യഥാവിധി അറിയുന്നവൻ, അഗ്നി-സോമബന്ധിത അവസ്ഥ (കർമ്മകാണ്ഡ ദ്വൈതം) ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചാൽ, അവൻ വീണ്ടും ജനിക്കുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• वेद: knows
• वेद: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दहनम्: burning / incineration
• दहनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुह्यम्: secret
• गुह्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of दहनम्

• प्लावनम्: flooding/immersion (ritual)
• प्लावनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यथा-उदितम्: as stated
• यथा-उदितम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from वद्/उद्-इ धातु in sense ‘said’)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास: यथोदितम् = as stated; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• अग्नीषोम-पदम्: the ‘Agni-Soma’ state/term
• अग्नीषोम-पदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अग्नीषोमयोः पदम् = the state/word/position of Agni and Soma

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive): having abandoned

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; अन्वयः यः... सः... (correlative)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): again/further

• अभिजायते: is born again / comes into being again
• अभिजायते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Soma

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation comes from inner realization that burns impurity (dahana) and carries one across bondage (plavana), not merely from external merit; such realized knowledge ends rebirth.

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

Linga-worship matures from outer ritual into inner transformation—offering the ego and impurities into Shiva’s fire (dahana) and taking refuge in Shiva as the ferry across saṃsāra (plavana), culminating in non-return.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Move from ritual dependence to contemplative Shaiva practice: meditate on Shiva as the inner fire that consumes mala (impurity) and repeat Shiva-mantra (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with dispassion, aiming at steady knowledge that frees from rebirth.