Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

निदानज्ञस्य भिषजो रुग्णो हिंसां प्रयुंजतः । न किंचिदपि नैर्घृण्यं घृणैवात्र प्रयोजिका

Transliteration

nidānajñasya bhiṣajo rugṇo hiṃsāṃ prayuṃjataḥ | na kiṃcidapi nairghṛṇyaṃ ghṛṇaivātra prayojikā

Translation

രോഗകാരണം അറിയുന്ന വൈദ്യൻ രോഗിയോട് വേദനകരമായ ചികിത്സ പ്രയോഗിച്ചാലും അതിൽ അല്പവും ക്രൂരതയില്ല; ഇവിടെ പ്രേരകശക്തി കരുണ മാത്രമാണ്.

Word by Word

• निदान-ज्ञस्य: of the knower of diagnosis
• निदान-ज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदान (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (निदानं जानातीति)

• भिषजः: of the physician
• भिषजः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिषज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• रुग्णः: the sick person
• रुग्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुग्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• हिंसाम्: harm, injury
• हिंसाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रयुञ्जतः: of (him) applying/using
• प्रयुञ्जतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), षष्ठी एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'भिषजः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (anything)

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

• नैर्घृण्यम्: cruelty, mercilessness
• नैर्घृण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्घृण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• घृणा: compassion
• घृणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• एव: alone, indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• अत्र: here, in this case
• अत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this case)

• प्रयोजिका: the motivating factor, the cause
• प्रयोजिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोजिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; the verse uses a nyāya (physician–patient analogy) to justify corrective action as compassion, aligning with Śiva’s anugraha through discipline.

FAQs

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

It teaches that corrective or painful discipline, when guided by true knowledge of the cause and aimed at healing bondage, is not cruelty but compassion—mirroring how Shiva’s grace removes pasha (bondage) for the soul’s purification.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship (Linga-upasana), devotees accept tapas, vows, and restraints as Shiva’s healing medicine—seemingly harsh to the ego, yet compassionate in intent, leading the pashu (bound soul) toward Shiva (Pati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake purificatory sadhana with the attitude of “healing”: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), disciplined vrata on Mahashivratri, and steady meditation, accepting discomfort as remedial rather than punitive.