Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

हिते सदा नियुक्तं तु सर्वं चिदचिदात्मकम् । स्वभावप्रतिबन्धं तत्समं न लभते हितम्

Transliteration

hite sadā niyuktaṃ tu sarvaṃ cidacidātmakam | svabhāvapratibandhaṃ tatsamaṃ na labhate hitam

Translation

ചിത്-അചിത് സ്വരൂപമായ എല്ലാം എപ്പോഴും ഹിതത്തിലേക്കാണ് നിയുക്തം; എന്നാൽ സ്വന്തം സ്വഭാവത്തിന്റെ തടസ്സം മൂലം അതിന് തനിക്കൊത്ത യഥാർത്ഥ ഹിതം ലഭിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• hite: in/for welfare
• hite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location/goal-sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• niyuktam: appointed; engaged
• niyuktam: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√yuj (युज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with sarvam

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle)

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• cit-acit-ātmakam: having the nature of sentient and insentient
• cit-acit-ātmakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cit (प्रातिपदिक) + acit (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of sarvam; समाहार-तत्पुरुष: 'चित्-अचित्-स्वरूपम्' (of the nature of sentient and insentient)

• svabhāva-pratibandham: obstruction (arising) from nature
• svabhāva-pratibandham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + pratibandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'स्वभावस्य प्रतिबन्धः' (obstruction due to nature)

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adverbially with samaṃ

• samam: equally; similarly
• samam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् अव्ययीभूत (adverbial use): 'equally/at the same level'

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• labhate: obtains; attains
• labhate: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• hitam: welfare; benefit
• hitam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vayu Samhita teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Explains why beings fail to reach the ‘true good’: svabhāva-pratibandha (conditioning/obstruction) aligns with Siddhānta’s account of pāśa (āṇava, māyīya, kārma mala) limiting the soul until grace intervenes.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that both the soul (cit) and the world of matter (acit) naturally seek well-being, but the soul’s “own-nature” conditioning (svabhāva) becomes a fetter; only Shiva as Pati removes this obstruction so the soul can reach its true, fitting good—liberation.

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

Linga-worship is a Siddhanta method to turn the soul away from conditioned impulses and toward Pati (Shiva). By steady devotion to Saguna Shiva in the Linga, the mind is purified and the svabhāva-based obstruction is weakened, making the soul fit for Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha supports inner discipline, helping restrain svabhāva-driven habits and orienting one toward Shiva’s liberating grace.