Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

शिवतत्त्वे परापरभावविचारः

Inquiry into Śiva’s Principle and the Parā–Aparā Paradox

Devanagari script

पुरत्रयं च सस्त्रीकं सदैत्यं सह बालकैः । क्षणेनैकेन देवेन नेत्राग्नेरिंधनीकृतम्

Transliteration

puratrayaṃ ca sastrīkaṃ sadaityaṃ saha bālakaiḥ | kṣaṇenaikena devena netrāgneriṃdhanīkṛtam

Translation

ആ ഏക ദേവൻ (ശിവൻ) ഒരു ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ ത്രിപുരത്തെ—സ്ത്രീകളോടും ദൈത്യരോടും കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളോടും കൂടി—തന്റെ നേത്രാഗ്നിയുടെ ഇന്ധനമാക്കി.

Word by Word

• पुरत्रयम्: the three cities (Tripura)
• पुरत्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—त्रयः पुराणि (द्विगु-समासः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सस्त्रीकम्: together with (their) women
• सस्त्रीकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + स्त्रीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—स्त्रीभिः सह (बहुव्रीहिः: ‘having women/with women’)

• सदैत्यम्: together with demons
• सदैत्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—दैत्यैः सह (बहुव्रीहिः: ‘with demons’)

• सह: with
• सह: Sahartha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• बालकैः: with children
• बालकैः: Sahartha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• क्षणेन: in a moment
• क्षणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एकेन: by one/single
• एकेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नेत्राग्नेः: of the fire of (his) eye
• नेत्राग्नेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—नेत्रस्य अग्निः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• इन्धनीकृतम्: made into fuel/kindling
• इन्धनीकृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इन्धनी + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) ‘इन्धनीकृत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Evokes Tripura-dahana: Śiva destroys the three demon cities with the fire of his eye, asserting supremacy over asuric power and cosmic order.

Significance: Contemplation of Śiva’s saṃhāra as purification—burning ignorance and adharma in an instant when ripe (kāla).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tripura
• Daityas

FAQs

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

Tripura symbolizes the threefold bondage (pāśa)—ego, karma, and ignorance—sustaining the soul’s entanglement. Śiva’s eye-fire signifies the Lord’s direct, liberating knowledge-power that burns these bonds instantly when grace dawns.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva as the active Lord (Pati) who protects dharma by dissolving adharma. In Linga-worship, devotees approach this same Śiva as the visible support of the formless Absolute—seeking purification so the ‘inner Tripura’ is consumed by divine awareness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva’s jñāna-agni (fire of awareness) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and adopt purifying Shaiva disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to burn inner impurities (mala) and attachments.