Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

सर्वभूताधिवासश्च साक्षी चेता च निर्गुणः । एको वशी निष्क्रियाणां बहूनां विवशात्मनाम्

Transliteration

sarvabhūtādhivāsaśca sākṣī cetā ca nirguṇaḥ | eko vaśī niṣkriyāṇāṃ bahūnāṃ vivaśātmanām

Translation

അവൻ സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളിലും അധിവസിക്കുന്നു; സാക്ഷിയും അന്തർജ്ഞാനിയായ ചേതനനും ഗുണാതീതൻ (നിർഗുണൻ) കൂടിയാണ്. ബന്ധിതരായി വിവശാത്മാക്കളായ അനേകരുടെ—സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യത്തിൽ നിഷ്ക്രിയരായവരുടെ—ഏക വശീ-നിയന്താവും അവൻ തന്നേ.

Word by Word

• सर्वभूताधिवासः: indwelling abode of all beings
• सर्वभूताधिवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषां भूतानाम् अधिवासः (abode/indwelling in all beings)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चेता: knower/conscious one
• चेता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतृ/चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• निर्गुणः: without qualities
• निर्गुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• वशी: controller/master
• वशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• निष्क्रियाणाम्: of the inactive
• निष्क्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्क्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• बहूनाम्: of many
• बहूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• विवशात्मनाम्: of those with helpless selves
• विवशात्मनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवश (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुव्रीहि: विवशः आत्मा येषाम् (those whose selves are helpless)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the indwelling Witness-Consciousness (sākṣī-cetā) who is nirguṇa, while bound souls (paśu) are rendered powerless by pāśa; liberation comes by turning to the one Lord (Pati) who alone governs and frees.

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

Though Shiva is described as nirguṇa and inwardly present in all beings, the Linga is the saguna support for meditation and worship—helping the devotee recognize that the same Lord worshipped outwardly is the inner Witness dwelling in the heart.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice sākṣī-bhāva (witness-meditation) while japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids to steadiness and remembrance of the indwelling Pati.