Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । इत्थं श्रीकण्ठनाथेन शिवेन परमात्मना । हिताय जगतामुक्तो ज्ञानसारार्थसंग्रहः

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | itthaṃ śrīkaṇṭhanāthena śivena paramātmanā | hitāya jagatāmukto jñānasārārthasaṃgrahaḥ

Translation

ഉപമന്യു പറഞ്ഞു—ഇങ്ങനെ പരമാത്മാവായ ശ്രീകണ്ഠനാഥൻ ശിവൻ ലോകങ്ങളുടെ ഹിതത്തിനായി ആത്മജ്ഞാനസാരത്തിന്റെ അർത്ഥസംഗ്രഹം പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• श्रीकण्ठ-नाथेन: by the Lord Śrīkaṇṭha
• श्रीकण्ठ-नाथेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रीकण्ठस्य नाथः)

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• परमात्मना: by the Supreme Self
• परमात्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः आत्मा)

• हिताय: for the welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the benefit)

• जगताम्: of the worlds/beings
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• उक्तः: uttered
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (said/uttered)

• ज्ञान-सार-अर्थ-संग्रहः: compendium of the essential meaning of knowledge
• ज्ञान-सार-अर्थ-संग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानस्य सारः; तस्य अर्थः; तस्य संग्रहः)

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon-like framing: Upamanyu testifies that Śrīkaṇṭha Śiva, the Paramātman, taught a ‘jñāna-sāra’ compendium for the welfare of all worlds—an anugraha-oriented revelation rather than a site narrative.

Significance: Positions the teaching itself as loka-hita (world-benefit): hearing/remembering it is a śravaṇa-tīrtha that supports right knowledge and devotion.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shrikantha

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha) as Paramātman who compassionately reveals the distilled essence of liberating knowledge for the good of all beings—highlighting Śiva’s role as Pati (the Lord) who grants jñāna leading to mokṣa.

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

By naming Śiva as Śrīkaṇṭha, the verse supports Saguna devotion—approaching the Supreme through a gracious, knowable form—while affirming that this very Śiva is also Paramātman, the highest reality worshipped in the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is jñāna-oriented śravaṇa and manana: listen to Śiva’s teachings, contemplate their ‘sāra’ (essence), and integrate them with daily Śiva-upāsanā such as pañcākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) for inner purification.