Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

अदृश्यः पतितैर्मूढैर्दुर्जनैरपि कुत्सितैः । भक्तैरन्तर्बहिश्चापि पूज्यः संभाष्य एव च

Transliteration

adṛśyaḥ patitairmūḍhairdurjanairapi kutsitaiḥ | bhaktairantarbahiścāpi pūjyaḥ saṃbhāṣya eva ca

Translation

പതിതരും മൂഢരും ദുർജനരും കുത്സിതരും അവനെ കാണുകയില്ല; അവർക്കു അവൻ അദൃശ്യൻ. എന്നാൽ ഭക്തർക്കു അവൻ അന്തരത്തിലും ബാഹ്യത്തിലും പൂജ്യൻ; ഭക്തിപൂർവ്വമായ പ്രാർത്ഥനാസംബോധനയാൽ അടുത്ത സംവാദത്തിൽ അനുഭവ്യൻ.

Word by Word

• अदृश्यः: invisible
• अदृश्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + दृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of the Lord)

• पतितैः: by the fallen
• पतितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (√पत्, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मूढैः: by the deluded
• मूढैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (√मुह्, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दुर्जनैः: by wicked people
• दुर्जनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• कुत्सितैः: by the contemptible
• कुत्सितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुत्सित (√कुत्स्, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• भक्तैः: by devotees
• भक्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (√भज्, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अन्तः: inside
• अन्तः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: inside)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: outside)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also)

• पूज्यः: worthy to be worshipped
• पूज्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (√पूज्, तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be worshipped'); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संभाष्यः: worthy to be conversed with
• संभाष्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं + भाष्य (√भाष्, तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be spoken with'); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Teaches the criterion for ‘seeing’ Śiva: inner purity and bhakti. Encourages both antaryāga (inner worship) and bāhyapūjā (outer worship).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is not grasped by impurity and delusion, but is self-revealed to bhakti—when devotion is joined with inner purity and right understanding, the Lord becomes experientially present.

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

“Outward worship” points to Saguna upasana such as Linga-puja with offerings, while “inward worship” points to meditative recognition of Shiva as the indwelling Pati; together they form a complete Shaiva discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Combine external puja (Linga worship, bhasma/Tripundra, rudraksha, Panchakshara japa) with internal practice—japa with awareness, dhyana in the heart, and prayerful conversation with Shiva as the living Lord.