Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 79

शिवशक्त्यैक्य-तत्त्वविचारः / Inquiry into the Unity of Śiva and Śakti

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

संसाराशीविषालीढमृतसंजीवनौषधम् । विभूतिं शिवयोर्विद्वान्न बिभेति कुतश्चन

Transliteration

saṃsārāśīviṣālīḍhamṛtasaṃjīvanauṣadham | vibhūtiṃ śivayorvidvānna bibheti kutaścana

Translation

संसाररूपी सर्पविषाने दंशित झालेल्यालाही जिवंत करणाऱ्या संजीवनी औषधासारखी शिवाची विभूती आहे. त्या विभूतीचा आश्रय घेतलेला विद्वान कुठूनही भय मानत नाही।

Word by Word

• saṃsāra-āśīviṣa-ālīḍha-mṛta-saṃjīvana-auṣadham: the life-restoring medicine for one bitten by the serpent of saṃsāra
• saṃsāra-āśīviṣa-ālīḍha-mṛta-saṃjīvana-auṣadham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ālīḍha (कृदन्त, √lih) + mṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjīvana (प्रातिपदिक) + auṣadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vibhūtim: vibhūti (sacred ash/power)
• vibhūtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śivayoḥ: of Śiva (and Śakti)/of the two Śivas
• śivayoḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• vidvān: a wise man, knower
• vidvān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• bibheti: fears
• bibheti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhī (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• kutaḥ: whence, how (could he?)
• kutaḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative/indefinite adverb (प्रश्न/अनिश्चय): 'from where?/how?'

• cana: ever/at all
• cana: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cana (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), enclitic particle used with interrogatives for indefiniteness/emphasis (चिदर्थ/अनिश्चय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Vibhūti (Śiva’s sacred ash) symbolizes the burning away of pāśa (bondage) and the curing of the ‘poison’ of saṃsāra; the devotee grounded in this Shaiva refuge becomes fearless through grace and right knowledge.

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

Vibhūti is a primary upacāra in Saguna Śiva and Liṅga worship; applying it (often as Tripuṇḍra) marks surrender to Śiva, remembrance of impermanence, and alignment with Śiva’s purifying power described in the Purāṇa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regularly apply Vibhūti/Bhasma with devotion (Tripuṇḍra), contemplate the burning of impurities, and pair it with Śiva-smaraṇa and mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to cultivate fearlessness and detachment.