Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

अशरीरं शरीरेषु चलेषु स्थाणुमव्ययम् । सदा पश्यति तं धीरो नरः प्रत्यवमर्शनात्

Transliteration

aśarīraṃ śarīreṣu caleṣu sthāṇumavyayam | sadā paśyati taṃ dhīro naraḥ pratyavamarśanāt

Translation

അന്തര്ധ്യാനത്തിലൂടെ ധീരജ്ഞാനി നിത്യം അവനെയേ കാണുന്നു—ദേഹികളിൽ ദേഹരഹിതൻ, ചലിക്കുന്നതിൽ അചലൻ, അവ്യയ പരമേശ്വരൻ ശിവൻ।

Word by Word

• aśarīram: bodiless
• aśarīram: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Eka-vacana; privative (नञ्) adjective ‘without body’ qualifying tam/sthāṇum

• śarīreṣu: in bodies
• śarīreṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी), Bahu-vacana

• caleṣu: moving; unstable
• caleṣu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Saptamī, Bahu-vacana; adjective qualifying śarīreṣu

• sthāṇum: the immovable one; the steadfast (Lord)
• sthāṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• avyayam: imperishable; immutable
• avyayam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; privative adjective ‘imperishable/unchanging’ qualifying sthāṇum/tam

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paśy (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Eka-vacana

• tam: him; that (Supreme)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• dhīraḥ: steadfast; wise
• dhīraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; adjective qualifying naraḥ

• naraḥ: man; person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• pratyavamarśanāt: from reflection; by introspection
• pratyavamarśanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-ava√mṛś (धातु) + ana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (as -ana noun), Pañcamī (Ablative), Eka-vacana; ‘from reflective inquiry/consideration’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, the imperishable Pati, is realized not merely as an external deity but as the bodiless, unchanging Reality present within all embodied and changing beings; steady contemplation leads to direct inner vision of Him.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to recognize Shiva as the formless, stable principle (sthāṇu) beyond change; through Saguna devotion and ritual focus, the seeker matures into perceiving the same Shiva as the Nirguna, bodiless presence within all.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice pratyavamarsha (inward self-inquiry/meditative reflection): sit in stillness, repeat the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and contemplate Shiva as the unmoving witness within the moving body and mind.