Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

Śiva’s Freedom from Bondage and His Cosmic Support (शिवस्य अबन्धत्वं तथा सर्वाधिष्ठानत्वम्)

Devanagari script

तस्मादेकाक्षरं देवमाहुरागमपारगाः । वाच्यवाचकयोरैक्यं मन्यमाना मनस्विनः

Transliteration

tasmādekākṣaraṃ devamāhurāgamapāragāḥ | vācyavācakayoraikyaṃ manyamānā manasvinaḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് ആഗമങ്ങളുടെ അപ്പുറം എത്തിയ മനസ്വികളായ ജ്ഞാനികൾ ഏകാക്ഷരദേവൻ (ഓം-സ്വരൂപ ശിവൻ) തന്നെയാണ് പരമമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു; വാച്യവും വാചകവും ഒന്നാണെന്ന ഏകത്വം അവർ സത്യമെന്ന് കരുതുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• एक-अक्षरम्: one-syllabled
• एक-अक्षरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (एकम् अक्षरम्)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; एकाक्षरम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आगम-पारगाः: those who have mastered the Āgamas
• आगम-पारगाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगम (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आगमानां पारगाः = who have gone to the end of the Āgamas)

• वाच्य-वाचकयोः: of the denoted and the denoter
• वाच्य-वाचकयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + वाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (वाच्यश्च वाचकश्च)

• ऐक्यम्: identity/oneness
• ऐक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मन्यमानाः: thinking/considering
• मन्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-कर्तरि

• मनस्विनः: the wise/strong-minded
• मनस्विनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणरूपेण आगमपारगाः इत्यस्य

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tasmādekākṣaraṃ devamāhurāgamapāragāḥ | vācyavācakayoraikyaṃ manyamānā manasvinaḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agamas

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is realized through mantra as living consciousness: the sacred sound (vācaka) and the divine reality it reveals (vācya) are not separate, so mantra-japa becomes a direct means to approach Pati (Śiva) and transcend pāśa (bondage).

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

Just as the Liṅga is a concrete support for contemplating the formless Lord, the mantra is a sonic support; the verse affirms that the symbol (sound) and the worshipped Lord (meaning) unite in devotion, making Saguna practice a doorway to Nirguna realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Agamic-style mantra-japa with focused contemplation on the mantra’s meaning—treating the sound as Śiva Himself—performed with steady mind, ideally alongside Śiva-pūjā (and, where traditional, with bhasma and rudrākṣa as supports).