Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 119

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

शिवाभिमानसंपन्नो निर्गुणस्त्रिगुणात्मकः । केवलं सात्त्विकश्चापि राजसश्चैव तामसः

Transliteration

śivābhimānasaṃpanno nirguṇastriguṇātmakaḥ | kevalaṃ sāttvikaścāpi rājasaścaiva tāmasaḥ

Translation

ശിവാഭിമാനസമ്പന്നനായ അവൻ നിർഗുണനായിരിക്കെ തന്നെ ത്രിഗുണാത്മകനുമാണ്; ചിലപ്പോൾ ശുദ്ധ സാത്ത്വികനായി, ചിലപ്പോൾ രാജസ-താമസ രൂപങ്ങളായും പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शिव-अभिमान-संपन्नः: endowed with Śiva-consciousness/pride
• शिव-अभिमान-संपन्नः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमान (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवे अभिमानः यस्य सः)

• निर्गुणः: without qualities
• निर्गुणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रि-गुण-आत्मकः: having the nature of the three guṇas
• त्रि-गुण-आत्मकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (त्रयः गुणाः आत्मा/स्वरूपं यस्य)

• केवलम्: only/merely
• केवलम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial: only/merely)

• सात्त्विकः: sāttvika
• सात्त्विकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भाव बोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• राजसः: rājasa
• राजसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-बोधक अव्यय (emphatic/indeed)

• तामसः: tāmasa
• तामसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Paradox of transcendence/immanence: Lord beyond guṇas yet assuming guṇas for cosmic play and governance.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva (Pati) is transcendental—beyond prakṛti and its three guṇas—yet, for creation, protection, and dissolution, He can manifest through sattva, rajas, and tamas without being bound by them.

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

The Liṅga is a saguna support for devotion and meditation, through which the devotee approaches the same Shiva who is ultimately nirguṇa; the verse reconciles form-based worship with the truth of Shiva’s transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as nirguṇa while worshipping Him as saguna—e.g., japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady sattva (purity), using Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa to stabilize the mind toward liberation.