Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

धनान्युद्दिश्य नास्माभिरितः प्रागर्चितः शिवः । अतो दरिद्रास्संजाता वयं तस्मान्न ते पयः

Transliteration

dhanānyuddiśya nāsmābhiritaḥ prāgarcitaḥ śivaḥ | ato daridrāssaṃjātā vayaṃ tasmānna te payaḥ

Translation

ധനം ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി ഞങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ മുമ്പ് ശിവനെ ആരാധിച്ചില്ല; അതിനാൽ ഞങ്ങൾ ദരിദ്രരായി, അതുകൊണ്ട് നിങ്ങള്ക്ക് അർപ്പിക്കാൻ പാൽ ഇല്ല।

Word by Word

• धनानि: wealth; riches
• धनानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म (object of ‘uddiśya’)

• उद्दिश्य: aiming at; intending
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु) + उद् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having aimed at/with reference to’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/करण (by us)

• इतः: from here; in this way/context
• इतः: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण/अपादानार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (ablatival adverb: from here/than this)

• प्राक्: formerly; earlier
• प्राक्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/before)

• अर्चितः: worshipped
• अर्चितः: Kriya (क्रिया; कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृत), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (worshipped)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता; कर्मणि-वाक्ये विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (subject of passive predicate)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ (therefore)

• दरिद्राः: poor
• दरिद्राः: Karta (कर्ता; विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• संजाताः: have become
• संजाताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘having become’ (predicate)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: from that; therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: तद्-शब्दस्य पञ्चमी-रूपम् अव्ययवत्; हेत्वर्थ/अपादानार्थ (from that; therefore)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (to you)

• पयः: milk
• पयः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (what is denied)

Speaker

Local cowherds/householders (narrative dialogue within Suta Goswami’s telling in the Vayu Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A household community (cowherds/householders) confesses neglect of Śiva-worship motivated by artha (wealth), resulting in daridratā (poverty) and inability to offer milk—framing poverty as a karmic/adharmic consequence of turning away from the Lord.

Significance: Teaches that material prosperity is not the primary aim; devotion (bhakti) and right intention (uddīśya) restore auspiciousness and capacity for offering.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that worship driven by desire for wealth is unstable, and that neglecting devotion to Pati (Śiva) leads to continued bondage and suffering; true auspiciousness comes from sincere bhakti and Śiva’s grace, not from transactional expectation.

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

Milk-offering and other upacāras belong to Saguna-Liṅga worship, but the verse stresses inner intention: the Liṅga is not pleased by mere substance if devotion is absent; even simple worship offered with faith is considered complete.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt regular Śiva-pūjā with the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and offer whatever is available with humility; the practical takeaway is sincerity over luxury—simple abhiṣeka, vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), and mantra-japa done daily.