Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

नामाष्टकमयो योगश्शिवेन परिकल्पितः । तेन योगेन सहसा शैवी प्रज्ञा प्रजायते

Transliteration

nāmāṣṭakamayo yogaśśivena parikalpitaḥ | tena yogena sahasā śaivī prajñā prajāyate

Translation

शिवांनी अष्टनाममय योग परिकल्पिला आहे। त्या योगाच्या साधनेने तत्क्षणी शैवी प्रज्ञा प्रकट होते।

Word by Word

• नामाष्टकमयः: consisting of an octad of names
• नामाष्टकमयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नामन् + अष्टक + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण—योगः इति विशेष्यस्य

• योगः: the yoga/practice
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent in passive sense)

• परिकल्पितः: arranged/ordained
• परिकल्पितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + √कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; योगः इति विशेष्यस्य

• तेन: by that (by it)
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘योगेन’ इत्यस्य सह-निर्देश

• योगेन: by (that) yoga
• योगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• सहसा: suddenly/at once
• सहसा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शैवी: Śaiva, pertaining to Śiva
• शैवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रज्ञा इति विशेष्यस्य

• प्रज्ञा: wisdom/insight
• प्रज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रजायते: arises/is born
• प्रजायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

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 teaches that Shiva-ordained nāma-yoga (disciplined contemplation of Shiva’s sacred Names) quickly awakens śaivī prajñā—clear, Shiva-centered discernment that loosens pāśa (bondage) and turns the seeker toward Pati (the Lord).

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

Name-meditation supports Saguna upāsanā: the devotee fixes mind and speech on Shiva’s revealed Names, which naturally steadies devotion for Linga-worship and purifies awareness toward the inner presence of Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa and dhyāna on Shiva’s Names (nāmāṣṭaka) as a structured daily sādhana—performed with purity, steady repetition, and devotional focus, optionally alongside Shaiva aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa.