Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

तन्निष्ठास्तत्परास्सर्वे तद्युक्तास्तदुपाश्रयाः । सर्वक्रियाः प्रकुर्वाणास्तमेव मनसागताः

Transliteration

tanniṣṭhāstatparāssarve tadyuktāstadupāśrayāḥ | sarvakriyāḥ prakurvāṇāstameva manasāgatāḥ

Translation

ते सर्वजण त्याच्यात निष्ठावंत, त्याच्याच परायण, त्याच्याशी युक्त आणि त्याच्याच आश्रयाला होते। सर्व कर्मे करीत असतानाही त्यांचे मन केवळ शिवातच स्थिर असे।

Word by Word

• tat-niṣṭhāḥ: steadfast in him
• tat-niṣṭhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + niṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः “tasmin niṣṭhā yeṣām” (devoted to him)

• tat-parāḥ: intent on him
• tat-parāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः “tasmin parāḥ”

• sarve: all (of them)
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tat-yuktāḥ: joined with him/connected to him
• tat-yuktāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + yukta (प्रातिपदिक; PPP)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः “tena yuktāḥ”

• tat-upāśrayāḥ: taking refuge in him
• tat-upāśrayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + upāśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः “tam upāśritāḥ” (having taken refuge in him)

• sarva-kriyāḥ: all actions
• sarva-kriyāḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः “sarvāḥ kriyāḥ”

• prakurvāṇāḥ: performing
• prakurvāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present middle participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शानच्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); Ātmanepada sense

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय); emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• manasā: by the mind
• manasā: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• āgatāḥ: having come/attained (absorbed)
• āgatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + gam (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (भूतकृदन्त/क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Shaiva siddhānta-style single-pointed orientation to Pati (Shiva): true devotion is not withdrawal from life, but inner steadiness—doing all duties while remaining mentally absorbed in Shiva as the liberating Lord.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā (devotional worship) as a stabilizing support: by taking refuge in Shiva—often approached through Linga worship—the devotee’s mind becomes continuously anchored in Him even beyond ritual moments.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with mindfulness during daily actions, and reinforce it with regular Linga-pūjā (and, where traditional, Tripuṇḍra bhasma and rudrākṣa) so the mind stays fixed on Shiva.