Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । शैवं संक्षिप्य वेदोक्तं शिवेन परिभाषितम् । स्तुतिनिंदादिरहितं सद्यः प्रत्ययकारणम्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | śaivaṃ saṃkṣipya vedoktaṃ śivena paribhāṣitam | stutiniṃdādirahitaṃ sadyaḥ pratyayakāraṇam

Translation

ഉപമന്യു പറഞ്ഞു—വേദങ്ങളിൽ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചതിനെ സംക്ഷിപ്തമാക്കി എടുത്ത ഈ ശൈവോപദേശം സ്വയം ശിവൻ വിശദീകരിച്ചതാണ്. ഇത് സ്തുതി-നിന്ദ മുതലായവയിൽ നിന്ന് വിമുക്തവും, ഉടൻ തന്നെ പ്രത്യയം (ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം) ജനിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കാരണവുമാണ്.

Word by Word

• upamanyuḥ: Upamanyu
• upamanyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upamanyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथम), Singular; Parasmaipada

• śaivam: the Śaiva (teaching)
• śaivam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• saṃkṣipya: having summarized
• saṃkṣipya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√kṣip (धातु) → saṃkṣipya (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); ‘having condensed/summarized’

• veda-uktam: said in the Veda
• veda-uktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त, क्त; √vac)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘vedena uktam’

• śivena: by Śiva
• śivena: Kartṛ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• paribhāṣitam: explained, defined
• paribhāṣitam: Karma (कर्म/Object; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√bhāṣ (धातु) → paribhāṣita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Past Passive Participle (क्त)

• stuti-nindā-ādi-rahitam: free from praise, blame, etc.
• stuti-nindā-ādi-rahitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stuti (प्रातिपदिक) + nindā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समास: द्वन्द्व (stuti+nindā) + ādi, then तृतीया/पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष with rahita ‘free from…’

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• pratyaya-kāraṇam: a cause of conviction/faith
• pratyaya-kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘pratyayasya kāraṇam’

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts that Śaiva doctrine is Veda-grounded and Śiva-expounded, and that its impartial, non-sectarian clarity (beyond mere praise/blame) generates immediate inner certainty—supporting the Shaiva Siddhānta aim of right knowledge leading toward liberation.

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

By emphasizing a Vedic teaching clarified by Śiva, the verse frames Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) as a disciplined, scripturally rooted path meant to produce direct spiritual conviction, not merely emotional praise or polemical criticism.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to adopt Veda-aligned Śaiva practice that yields pratyaya—steady inner assurance—such as daily Shiva-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) performed with even-mindedness beyond praise and blame.