Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

ज्ञानामृतेन तृप्तस्य भक्त्या शैवशिवात्मनः । नांतर्न च बहिः कृष्ण कृत्यमस्ति कदाचन

Transliteration

jñānāmṛtena tṛptasya bhaktyā śaivaśivātmanaḥ | nāṃtarna ca bahiḥ kṛṣṇa kṛtyamasti kadācana

Translation

ഹേ കൃഷ്ണാ, ജ്ഞാനാമൃതത്തിൽ തൃപ്തനായി ഭക്തിയാൽ ശൈവനായി ശിവസ്വരൂപനായവന് ഉള്ളിലും പുറത്തും ഒരിക്കലും നിർബന്ധകൃത്യം ഇല്ല.

Word by Word

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• अमृतेन: with the nectar of knowledge
• अमृतेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (ज्ञान-अमृत), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तृप्तस्य: of (one) satisfied
• तृप्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शैव: Śaiva
• शैव: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form), विशेषण

• शिव: Śiva
• शिव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• आत्मनः: of the one whose self is Śiva (Śiva-souled)
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (शैव-शिव-आत्मन् = शिवः आत्मा यस्य/शिवात्मा), पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्तः: inside
• अन्तः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• न: nor/not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कृत्यम्: duty, task
• कृत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कदाचन: ever, at any time
• कदाचन: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It teaches that when devotion ripens into direct liberating knowledge—making the seeker “Śiva-natured”—bondage-born compulsion falls away; such a one is inwardly and outwardly established in Śiva and is no longer driven by obligatory karma.

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

Linga/Saguna worship is a primary means that purifies the soul (pāśu) and loosens bonds (pāśa); when that devotion culminates in jñāna and Śiva-realization, the practitioner transcends compulsion, though they may still worship spontaneously out of love.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steady bhakti leading to jñāna: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), meditation on Śiva within, and supportive observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa—performed not as burden, but as devotion that matures into liberation.