Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

नाडीविशुद्धिपूर्वं तु प्राणायामं समाचरेत् । अगर्भश्च सगर्भश्च प्राणायामो द्विधा स्मृतः

Transliteration

nāḍīviśuddhipūrvaṃ tu prāṇāyāmaṃ samācaret | agarbhaśca sagarbhaśca prāṇāyāmo dvidhā smṛtaḥ

Translation

ആദ്യം നാഡിശുദ്ധി നടത്തി പിന്നെ പ്രാണായാമം അഭ്യസിക്കണം. പ്രാണായാമം രണ്ടുവിധമെന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു—അഗർഭം (ബീജമന്ത്രമില്ലാതെ)യും സഗർഭം (ബീജമന്ത്രസഹിതം)യും.

Word by Word

• nāḍī-viśuddhi-pūrvam: with nāḍī-purification first
• nāḍī-viśuddhi-pūrvam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāḍī (प्रातिपदिक) + viśuddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adverbial accusative; tatpuruṣa: nāḍīnāṃ viśuddhiḥ pūrvā yasya (preceded by purification of nāḍīs)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• prāṇāyāmam: prāṇāyāma (breath-control)
• prāṇāyāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: prāṇasya āyāmaḥ (extension/regulation of breath)

• samācaret: should practice
• samācaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + car (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• agarbhaḥ: without ‘garbha’ (without retention/seed)
• agarbhaḥ: Viṣaya/Prakāra (विषय/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sagarbhaḥ: with ‘garbha’ (with retention/seed)
• sagarbhaḥ: Viṣaya/Prakāra (विषय/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa-garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• prāṇāyāmaḥ: prāṇāyāma
• prāṇāyāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• dvidhā: in two ways
• dvidhā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dvidhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• smṛtaḥ: is said/considered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kta participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; passive sense ‘is considered’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It places yogic discipline within a Shaiva soteriology: purification of the inner channels prepares the practitioner for steady prāṇa, which supports mantra-japa and Shiva-oriented meditation leading toward liberation (moksha).

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

Sagarbha prāṇāyāma implies breath practice joined with a mantra-seed—classically the Shiva-mantra—so the body-breath becomes an aid to Saguna Shiva worship (japa, dhyāna, and inner linga-bhāvanā), stabilizing devotion and concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin with nāḍī-śuddhi (channel-cleansing) and then practice prāṇāyāma in either a silent form (agarbha) or mantra-linked form (sagarbha), ideally aligned with Shiva-japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).