Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

अघोरास्त्रं च शैवानां रक्षाहेतुरनुत्तमम् । तच्च तत्प्रभवं मत्वा तत्परो भव नान्यथा

Transliteration

aghorāstraṃ ca śaivānāṃ rakṣāheturanuttamam | tacca tatprabhavaṃ matvā tatparo bhava nānyathā

Translation

അഘോരാസ്ത്രം ശൈവഭക്തർക്കു രക്ഷയ്ക്കുള്ള അനുത്തമ കാരണമാകുന്നു. അത് ആ പരമശിവനിൽ നിന്നുത്ഭവിച്ചതും അവനുടേതു മാത്രമെന്നും അറിഞ്ഞ്, അവനിൽ തന്നേ പരായണനാകുക— മറ്റെങ്ങനെല്ല.

Word by Word

• अघोर-अस्त्रम्: the Aghora weapon/mantra-weapon
• अघोर-अस्त्रम्: कर्ता/कर्म (प्रसङ्गानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘अघोरं अस्त्रम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शैवानाम्: of the Śaivas (devotees of Śiva)
• शैवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• रक्षा-हेतुः: the cause/means of protection
• रक्षा-हेतुः: विधेय (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘रक्षायाः हेतुḥ’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: विशेषण (अस्त्रस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; superlative sense ‘unsurpassed’

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (मत्वा-सम्बद्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तत्-प्रभवम्: arising from that, originating from that
• तत्-प्रभवम्: विशेषण (तत्-सम्बद्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-भाव: ‘तस्मात्/तस्य प्रभवः’ = arising from that); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• मत्वा: having considered/knowing
• मत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मत्वा (कृदन्त; √मन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• तत्-परः: devoted to that
• तत्-परः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (सम्बोधन-लक्षित)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तस्मिन् परः’ = devoted to that); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भव: be
• भव: क्रिया (आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

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

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s protective teaching within the Vāyavīya discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva’s protective power (rakṣā) as arising from the Supreme; encourages exclusive śaraṇāgati to Śiva as the true refuge.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Aghora (aspect of Shiva)

FAQs

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

It teaches that true protection for a Śaiva is not merely external but arises from aligning oneself with Śiva alone—recognizing all power as Śiva-born and becoming single-pointed (tat-para) in devotion and refuge.

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

The ‘Aghora’ power is a Saguna expression of Śiva’s grace that protects the devotee; Linga-worship embodies the same truth—approaching the Supreme through a sacred form, then resting the mind in Śiva as the ultimate source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a protection-oriented Śaiva sādhanā: remembrance of Śiva (japa such as the Pañcākṣarī), mental surrender to Śiva as the sole refuge (tat-para-bhāva), and disciplined purity consistent with Śaiva observances.