Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

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

मैत्र्यादयो गुणा गौणास्तस्मात्ते भिन्नवृत्तयः । तैर्गुणैरुपरक्तानां दोषाय च गुणाय च

maitryādayo guṇā gauṇāstasmātte bhinnavṛttayaḥ | tairguṇairuparaktānāṃ doṣāya ca guṇāya ca

മൈത്രി മുതലായ ഗുണങ്ങൾ ഗൗണങ്ങളാണ്; അതിനാൽ അവയുടെ പ്രവർത്തനരീതികൾ വ്യത്യസ്തമാണ്. ആ ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ വർണ്ണിതമായ മനസ്സുള്ളവർക്ക് അതേ ഗുണങ്ങൾ ദോഷമായും ഗുണമായും മാറുന്നു.

maitrī-ādayaḥfriendliness and the like
maitrī-ādayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
TypeNoun
Rootmaitrī (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘ādi’ as suffixal member meaning ‘etc.’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘maitrī etc.’)
guṇāḥqualities
guṇāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
gauṇāḥsecondary/figurative
gauṇāḥ:
Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण) of ‘guṇāḥ’
TypeAdjective
Rootgauṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
tasmāttherefore
tasmāt:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAblatival adverb (तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’), nipāta-like usage
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य) (referring to the qualities)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun
bhinna-vṛttayaḥhaving different functions
bhinna-vṛttayaḥ:
Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण) of ‘te’
TypeAdjective
Rootbhinna (कृदन्त; √bhid + kta) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुव्रीहिः—‘those whose functions/operations are different’
taiḥby those
taiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण) (with ‘guṇaiḥ’)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter/Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
guṇaiḥby (the) qualities
guṇaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
uparaktānāmof those who are influenced/tinged
uparaktānām:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी) with implied ‘(janānām/ātmānām)’; denotes those affected/tinged
TypeAdjective
Rootupa-√rañj (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
FormPast passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त) used adjectivally; Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); gender context-dependent (of persons/things)
doṣāyafor fault/harm
doṣāya:
Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootdoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); प्रयोजनार्थे चतुर्थी
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)
guṇāyafor merit/benefit
guṇāya:
Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); प्रयोजनार्थे चतुर्थी
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Tattva Level: pashu

Role: teaching

S
Shiva

FAQs

It teaches discernment: even noble traits like friendliness become spiritually fruitful only when guided by right knowledge and offered to Pati (Shiva); otherwise, attachment to “being virtuous” can turn into bondage.

Linga/Saguna worship purifies intention—virtues are no longer practiced for ego, praise, or partiality, but as service to Shiva—so the same qualities become liberating rather than binding.

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with steady awareness and offer all “good qualities” at Shiva’s feet; this reduces attachment and converts virtue into a means toward moksha.