Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

सुवर्णमेव नांगारं द्रावयत्यग्निसंगमः । एवं पक्वमलानेव मोचयेन्न शिवपरान्

Transliteration

suvarṇameva nāṃgāraṃ drāvayatyagnisaṃgamaḥ | evaṃ pakvamalāneva mocayenna śivaparān

Translation

അഗ്നിസംഗമത്തിൽ സ്വർണ്ണം മാത്രമേ ഉരുകൂ; കൽക്കരി അല്ല. അതുപോലെ, മലങ്ങൾ പക്വമായി നീങ്ങാൻ യോഗ്യമായ ശിവപര ഭക്തരെയേ പ്രഭു മോചിപ്പിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• न: not
• न: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अङ्गारम्: charcoal/ember
• अङ्गारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• द्रावयति: melts (causes to melt)
• द्रावयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √द्रु (धातु) [प्रेरण/णिच्]
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• अग्निसङ्गमः: contact with fire
• अग्निसङ्गमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb)

• पक्वमलान्: ripened impurities (matured defilements)
• पक्वमलान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्व + मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘पक्व’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः कर्मधारयः

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• मोचयेत्: should free/release
• मोचयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु) [प्रेरण/णिच्]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• न: not
• न: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• शिवपरान्: those devoted to Śiva
• शिवपरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; शिवे पराः (शिव-पर) इति तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s grace is like fire: it transforms what is fit for transformation. Liberation occurs when the soul’s impurities (mala) have matured and the devotee is firmly oriented toward Śiva (śiva-para).

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

Linga/Saguna worship is a means of aligning the soul toward Śiva through devotion and discipline; when devotion becomes steady and impurities ripen, Śiva’s grace ‘melts’ the bondage—just as fire melts gold.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Consistent Śiva-bhakti that ripens inner purity—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), worship of the Śiva-liṅga, and adopting Śaiva disciplines like bhasma/tripuṇḍra and dhyāna—so the soul becomes ‘gold’ fit for Śiva’s transforming grace.