Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 56

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

तं विश्वरूपमभवं भवमीड्यं प्रजापतिम् । देवदेवं जगत्पूज्यं स्वचित्तस्थमुपास्महे

Transliteration

taṃ viśvarūpamabhavaṃ bhavamīḍyaṃ prajāpatim | devadevaṃ jagatpūjyaṃ svacittasthamupāsmahe

Translation

ഞങ്ങൾ ആ വിശ്വരൂപനും അജനുമായ സ്തുത്യനായ ‘ഭവ’ പ്രഭുവിനെ—പ്രജാപതിയെയും ദേവദേവനെയും ജഗത്പൂജ്യനെയും—സ്വചിത്തത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്നവനെ ഉപാസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विश्व-रूपम्: of universal form
• विश्व-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (having the form of the universe)

• अभवम्: unborn
• अभवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation)

• भवम्: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; शिवनाम (epithet)

• ईड्यम्: praiseworthy
• ईड्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईड् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त: यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/नीयतुल्य) = ‘to be praised’

• प्रजापतिम्: lord of beings
• प्रजापतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (lord of creatures)

• देव-देवम्: God of gods
• देव-देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (god of gods)

• जगत्-पूज्यम्: worshipped by the world
• जगत्-पूज्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पूज्य (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (worshipped by the world / worthy of the world’s worship)

• स्व-चित्त-स्थम्: dwelling in one’s own mind
• स्व-चित्त-स्थम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (abiding in one’s own mind)

• उपास्महे: we worship
• उपास्महे: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as the unborn Supreme (Pati) who is both the universe’s form (viśvarūpa) and the indwelling presence in awareness; liberation arises through devoted contemplation of Him as the inner Lord, not merely as an external object.

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

While the Liṅga supports saguna worship as a sacred focus, this verse emphasizes that the same Śiva is also svacittastha—present within the heart-mind—so external worship should mature into inner upāsanā and recognition of His all-pervading form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice upāsanā as inner dhyāna: mentally install Śiva in the heart (hṛdaya), recite the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and contemplate Him as devadeva and viśvarūpa, letting devotion become steady inward remembrance.