Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

पशोः पाशस्य पत्युश्च तत्त्वतो ऽस्ति पदं परम् । ब्रह्मवित्तद्विदित्वैव योनिमुक्तो भविष्यति

Transliteration

paśoḥ pāśasya patyuśca tattvato 'sti padaṃ param | brahmavittadviditvaiva yonimukto bhaviṣyati

Translation

പശു (ജീവൻ), പാശം (ബന്ധനം), പതി (പ്രഭു) — ഇവയെ സംബന്ധിച്ച് തത്ത്വതഃ ഒരു പരമപദം ഉണ്ട്. ബ്രഹ്മവിദ്—അത് തന്നെ സാക്ഷാത്കരിച്ചാൽ—യോനിമുക്തനായി പുനർജന്മഗർഭബന്ധനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മോചിതനാകും।

Word by Word

• पशोः: of the bound soul/creature
• पशोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पाशस्य: of the bond/noose
• पाशस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पत्युः: of the lord/master
• पत्युः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• तत्त्वतः: in reality/essentially
• तत्त्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/रीति-वाचक (adverb: in truth/essentially)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: अस्ति-क्रिया (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पदम्: state/abode/position
• पदम्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पदम्)

• ब्रह्म-वित्: knower of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-वित्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √विद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्म वेत्ति इति)

• तत्: that (truth)
• तत्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विदित्वा: having known
• विदित्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having known)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• योनि-मुक्तः: freed from (re)birth
• योनि-मुक्तः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (योन्या मुक्तः = freed from womb/birth)

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva Siddhanta teaching as preserved in the Vāyavīya Saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It states the Shaiva Siddhanta framework: the individual soul (paśu) is bound by bonds (pāśa) and is liberated only by truly knowing the Lord/Absolute (Pati/Brahman), resulting in freedom from rebirth.

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

In Shaiva practice, Saguna worship (such as Linga pūjā) disciplines the mind and purifies bondage, preparing the devotee for tattva-jñāna—direct realization of Pati—by which final release from embodiment is attained.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to jñāna grounded in Shaiva devotion: steady meditation on Śiva as Pati, supported by mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to cut bondage and mature into liberating realization.