Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 88

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

Devanagari script

तत्स्वयं न प्रवर्तेत शिवसान्निध्यमन्तरा । यथा मणिरयस्कांतस्सान्निध्यादुपकारकः

Transliteration

tatsvayaṃ na pravarteta śivasānnidhyamantarā | yathā maṇirayaskāṃtassānnidhyādupakārakaḥ

Translation

അത് (സാധനശക്തി) ശിവസാന്നിധ്യമില്ലാതെ സ്വയം പ്രവർത്തിക്കുകയില്ല; ഇരുമ്പിനോട് അടുത്തിരിക്കുമ്പോഴേ അയ്‌സ്‌കാന്തമണി (കാന്തം) ഉപകാരകമാകുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• svayam: by itself
• svayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्वयम्-शब्दः (reflexive adverb: by itself)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (not)

• pravarteta: would function; would proceed
• pravarteta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः—'प्रवर्तते/प्रवृत्तिं लभेत' (would operate/come into action)

• śiva-sānnidhyam: the presence of Śiva
• śiva-sānnidhyam: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + sānnidhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śivasya sānnidhyam = presence of Śiva)

• antarā: without
• antarā: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: antarā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विना-अर्थक (preposition-like indeclinable: without/excluding)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानार्थक (as/just as)

• maṇi-rayaskāntaḥ: a gem and a magnet (lodestone)
• maṇi-rayaskāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + ayaskānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (maṇiś ca ayaskāntaś ca) समाहार/एकवद्भावेन (treated as a single unit)

• sānnidhyāt: from (its) proximity/presence
• sānnidhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sānnidhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• upakārakaḥ: helpful; beneficial
• upakārakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upakāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective to maṇi-rayaskāntaḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that spiritual means (practice, knowledge, merit) become truly effective only through Śiva’s sānnidhya—His living presence and grace—without which they do not bear liberating fruit.

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

The Liṅga is a concrete locus of Śiva’s sānnidhya for devotees; approaching the Liṅga with devotion makes worship ‘operative,’ just as proximity makes the magnet effective.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate Śiva-sānnidhya through daily Liṅga-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and steady meditation so that practice becomes empowered and transformative.