Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

येनोपलभ्यते ऽस्माभिस्सकलेनापि निष्कलः । स मूर्त्यात्मा शिवः शैवमूर्तिरित्युपचर्यते

Transliteration

yenopalabhyate 'smābhissakalenāpi niṣkalaḥ | sa mūrtyātmā śivaḥ śaivamūrtirityupacaryate

Translation

സകലരൂപത്തിലൂടെയും നാം ഗ്രഹിക്കാവുന്ന നിഷ്കല പരതത്ത്വം—അതേ മൂർത്ത്യാത്മ ശിവൻ; ഭക്തിപരമ്പരയിൽ അവനെ ‘ശൈവമൂർത്തി’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे ‘by which’

• उपलभ्यते: is realized/obtained
• उपलभ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे—‘is obtained/realized’

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• सकलेन: with the whole (manifest)
• सकलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अस्माभिः/उपलभ्यते इत्यर्थे)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निपात (even/also)

• निष्कलः: partless, without parts
• निष्कलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (निःकलः = without parts); विशेष्यः—शिवः

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• मूर्त्यात्मा: the embodied self
• मूर्त्यात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मूर्तिः आत्मा यस्य/मूर्त्यात्मा)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• शैव-मूर्तिः: Śaiva form
• शैव-मूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शैवी मूर्तिः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• उपचर्यते: is called / is spoken of
• उपचर्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे—‘is designated/treated as’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Articulates the Siddhāntic sakala/niṣkala dialectic: the transcendent is approached through worshipable form (mūrti/liṅga). This underwrites temple pilgrimage as a legitimate epistemic and soteriological access-point to the formless Lord.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the transcendent, partless Shiva (niṣkala) is approached and known through His accessible manifested form (sakala), affirming worship as a legitimate means to realization of the Supreme Pati.

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

It supports saguna-upāsanā: the devotee apprehends the formless Shiva through a worshipable form—classically the Shiva-Linga or other śaiva-mūrti—without denying Shiva’s ultimate formlessness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the niṣkala Shiva while performing sakala worship—Linga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—using the form as the focus to realize the formless.