Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

आत्मनामेव भोगाय मोक्षाय च विशेषतः । तत्त्वातत्त्वस्वरूपेषु मूर्त्यात्मसु शिवान्वयः

Transliteration

ātmanāmeva bhogāya mokṣāya ca viśeṣataḥ | tattvātattvasvarūpeṣu mūrtyātmasu śivānvayaḥ

Translation

Para a fruição da experiência (bhoga) e, sobretudo, para a libertação (mokṣa), fala-se, de fato, do próprio Si (Ātman); e nas formas de tattva e de atattva—nas formas encarnadas e animadas—há a conexão pervasiva (anvaya) de Śiva.

Word by Word

• आत्मनाम्: of the selves
• आत्मनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• भोगाय: for enjoyment
• भोगाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• मोक्षाय: for liberation
• मोक्षाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतस् (अव्यय; विशेष + तस्)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: especially)

• तत्त्व-अतत्त्व-स्वरूपेषु: in the forms of truth and non-truth
• तत्त्व-अतत्त्व-स्वरूपेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अतत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (तत्त्वं च अतत्त्वं च) + तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः (तयोः स्वरूपम्)

• मूर्ति-आत्मसु: in the embodied selves
• मूर्ति-आत्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (मूर्तिरूप आत्मा)

• शिव-अन्वयः: the connection/lineage of Śiva
• शिव-अन्वयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य अन्वयः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that both worldly experience (bhoga) and liberation (moksha) hinge on right knowledge of the Self, and that Śiva is the inner continuity present through all categories of existence—thus moksha comes by recognizing Śiva as the indwelling reality rather than clinging to external distinctions.

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

The Liṅga is a saguna support for realizing the truth pointed to here: Śiva is not confined to a single form but pervades all forms and selves. Worship begins with form (saguna) and matures into insight into Śiva’s all-pervasion (anvaya), culminating in liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner Self while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), using the Liṅga as the focal support; let the practice shift attention from outer categories (tattva/atattva) to the constant presence of Śiva within all embodied beings.