Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानामपि तूलायते पदम् । मत्तोन्यदनपेक्षाणामुद्धृतानां महात्मनाम्

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇusureśānāmapi tūlāyate padam | mattonyadanapekṣāṇāmuddhṛtānāṃ mahātmanām

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാ, വിഷ്ണു, ദേവാധിപന്മാർ എന്നിവരുടെ പദവിയും തുലാസിൽ തൂക്കിയാൽ, എന്നാൽ ഉദ್ಧരിക്കപ്പെട്ട ആ മഹാത്മാക്കളുടെ നിലയോട് താരതമ്യത്തിൽ അത് നിസ്സാരമാകുന്നു—അവർ എനിക്കല്ലാതെ മറ്റൊന്നിലും ആശ്രയിക്കുന്നില്ല।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानाम्: of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the lords of gods
• ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + सुरेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च सुरेशाश्च)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अप्यर्थे ‘even/also’

• तूलायते: is weighed/amounts (as equal)
• तूलायते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is weighed/considered equal’

• पदम्: status/position
• पदम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• मत्तः: than me/from me
• मत्तः: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: कर्म (Implied object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘anything else’ (सम्बन्धे)

• अनपेक्षाणाम्: of those who are independent (not dependent)
• अनपेक्षाणाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + अपेक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (महात्मनाम्); ‘not depending (on)’

• उद्धृतानाम्: of the uplifted/exalted
• उद्धृतानाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (महात्मनाम्)

• महात्मनाम्: of great-souled ones
• महात्मनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga legend; it asserts the supremacy of Śiva’s liberating state over even the highest cosmic offices (Brahmā/Viṣṇu/Devas).

Significance: Frames pilgrimage as secondary to exclusive refuge (ananya-śaraṇatā) in Śiva; the ‘state of the liberated’ is the true tīrtha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Devas

FAQs

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

It declares that deva-ranks and cosmic offices (even of Brahma and Vishnu) are inferior to the liberated state granted by Shiva to souls who take Him alone as refuge; liberation is measured by freedom from pasha (bondage) and exclusive reliance on Pati (Shiva).

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

In Shaiva practice, Saguna Shiva—especially as the Shiva-Linga—is approached as the immediate, gracious Lord who bestows release; the verse emphasizes ananya-śaraṇāgati (exclusive surrender) to Shiva rather than seeking merely worldly or heavenly status.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate one-pointed devotion (ananya-bhakti) through japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with steady Shiva-upasana (Linga worship) as a practical expression of depending on Shiva alone.