Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

आकाशः परमेशस्य शासनादेव सर्वगः । प्राणाद्यैश्च तथा नामभेदैरंतर्बहिर्जगत्

Transliteration

ākāśaḥ parameśasya śāsanādeva sarvagaḥ | prāṇādyaiśca tathā nāmabhedairaṃtarbahirjagat

Translation

പരമേശ്വരൻ (ശിവൻ)യുടെ ആജ്ഞയാൽ മാത്രമേ ആകാശം എല്ലായിടത്തും വ്യാപിക്കൂ; പ്രാണം മുതലായ നാമഭേദങ്ങളിലൂടെ അത് ജഗത്തിന്റെ അകത്തും പുറത്തും പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ākāśaḥ: space/ether
• ākāśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana

• parameśasya: of the Supreme Lord
• parameśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen, 6th), Ekavacana; ‘of the Supreme Lord’

• śāsanāt: from (his) command
• śāsanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु; causal source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Pañcamī (Abl, 5th), Ekavacana; ‘from/through command’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; avadhāraṇa (emphasis)

• sarvagaḥ: all-pervading
• sarvagaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarvaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; adjective of ākāśaḥ

• prāṇa-ādyaiḥ: by (things) beginning with prāṇa
• prāṇa-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr, 3rd), Bahuvacana; समासः—‘प्राणः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with prāṇa) → prāṇādyaiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb ‘likewise/also’

• nāma-bhedaiḥ: by differences of names
• nāma-bhedaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr, 3rd), Bahuvacana; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘नाम्नां भेदाः’ (differences of names)

• antar-bahiḥ-jagat: the inner and outer world
• antar-bahiḥ-jagat: Karta (कर्ता; apposition/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antar (अव्यय) + bahiḥ (अव्यय) + jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana; द्वन्द्वः (itaretara) ‘inner and outer world’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthala) passage; it teaches that even ākāśa (ether) functions only under Parameśvara’s ordinance, establishing Śiva as the transcendent governor of tattvas.

Significance: Contemplation of Śiva as niyantṛ (cosmic regulator) is said to mature viveka and detachment, preparing the paśu for anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that even the most subtle, all-pervading principle—ākāśa (space)—functions only by Śiva’s ordinance, pointing to Parameśvara as the inner governor (antaryāmin) of all cosmic processes, within and beyond the manifest world.

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

The Liṅga represents Śiva as the transcendent-yet-immanent Lord: though beyond form, He governs the universe through His śāsana (divine command). Worship of the Liṅga trains the devotee to recognize that prāṇa, mind, and the elements act under Śiva’s supreme lordship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prāṇa-sākṣī bhāvanā—witnessing the breath as governed by Śiva—while mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), aligning inner prāṇa with the Lord who pervades antar and bahir.