Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

मंत्राभ्यासवशेनैव मंत्रवाच्यार्थगोचरः । अव्याक्षेपा मनोवृत्तिर्मंत्रयोग उदाहृतः

Transliteration

maṃtrābhyāsavaśenaiva maṃtravācyārthagocaraḥ | avyākṣepā manovṛttirmaṃtrayoga udāhṛtaḥ

Translation

മന്ത്രാഭ്യാസത്തിന്റെ ശക്തിയാൽ മാത്രം മനസ്സ് മന്ത്രം സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്ന അർത്ഥത്തിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിക്കാൻ യോഗ്യമാകുന്നു; മനോവൃത്തി അവിക്ഷിപ്തവും സ്ഥിരവുമായാൽ അതിനെ ‘മന്ത്രയോഗം’ എന്നു പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• mantra-abhyāsa-vaśena: by the force of mantra-practice
• mantra-abhyāsa-vaśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘मन्त्राभ्यासस्य वशः’ → ‘वशेन’ (by the power/control of practice of mantra)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle: only/indeed)

• mantra-vācya-artha-gocaraḥ: having as its scope the meaning denoted by the mantra
• mantra-vācya-artha-gocaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + vācya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘मन्त्रेण वाच्यस्य अर्थस्य गोचरः’ = whose range is the meaning expressed by the mantra; विशेषण (qualifying manovṛttiḥ)

• a-vyākṣepā: undistracted
• a-vyākṣepā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyākṣepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-प्रत्यय; विशेषण (qualifying manovṛttiḥ): ‘without distraction’

• mano-vṛttiḥ: mental modification/attention
• mano-vṛttiḥ: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘मनसः वृत्तिः’

• mantra-yogaḥ: mantra-yoga
• mantra-yogaḥ: Pratipādya/Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘मन्त्रस्य योगः’

• udāhṛtaḥ: is declared
• udāhṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-√hṛ (धातु: हृ) → udāhṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे: ‘is declared/said’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines Mantra-yoga: persistent japa ripens the mind so it can dwell in the mantra’s meaning, and when the mind becomes non-distracted, that focused current is itself a yogic state leading toward Shiva-realization.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship (such as Linga-puja), mantra-japa is joined to contemplation of Shiva’s presence; the verse teaches that japa should mature into meaning-focused absorption, turning ritual sound into inward union with the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady mantra-abhyasa (regular japa) with undistracted attention—ideally with Shiva mantras like the Panchakshara—so the mind remains one-pointed on the mantra’s meaning rather than merely repeating sounds.