Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34

पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga

Devanagari script

दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु वायुभक्षास्समाचरन् । तेषां भक्तिमहं दृष्ट्वा सद्यः प्रत्यक्षतामियाम्

Transliteration

divyaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu vāyubhakṣāssamācaran | teṣāṃ bhaktimahaṃ dṛṣṭvā sadyaḥ pratyakṣatāmiyām

Translation

അവർ ആയിരം ദിവ്യവർഷം വായുവിനെ മാത്രം ആഹാരമാക്കി തപസ്സിൽ സ്ഥിരരായി നിന്നു; അവരുടെ ഭക്തി കണ്ട ഞാൻ ഉടൻ തന്നെ പ്രത്യക്ഷനായി।

Word by Word

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वर्षसहस्रम्: a thousand years
• वर्षसहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म; duration as object/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (वर्षाणां सहस्रम् = ‘a thousand years’)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• वायुभक्षाः: those who subsist on air
• वायुभक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu + bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वायुः भक्ष्यः येषां ते)

• समाचरन्: practised/performed
• समाचरन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + car (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन, सर्वनाम

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म; object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल-अर्थे (adverb: ‘immediately’)

• प्रत्यक्षताम्: manifest presence/visibility
• प्रत्यक्षताम्: Karma (कर्म; goal/state as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyakṣatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इयाम्: I attained
• इयाम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; ‘I went/attained’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse presents the general purāṇic motif of Śiva granting sākṣātkāra (direct vision) to tapasvins after prolonged austerity.

Significance: Frames the paradigm that intense bhakti and tapas culminate in pratyakṣa-darśana of Śiva, a soteriological ideal echoed in tīrtha-māhātmyas.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that when devotion (bhakti) becomes mature through disciplined tapas, Shiva (Pati) responds with immediate grace by granting direct darshana—showing that liberation and blessings arise primarily from divine grace awakened by sincere surrender.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s compassion: although Shiva is beyond form, He becomes pratyaksha (directly perceivable) for devotees. Linga-worship similarly provides a concrete focus through which the formless Lord is approached and, by grace, experienced.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to steady tapas and yogic restraint (such as regulated diet/fasting and prāṇa-discipline) combined with unwavering bhakti—ideally supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Shiva-upasana.