Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18
ध्यानप्रकारनिर्णयः / Determination of the Modes of Meditation
on Śrīkaṇṭha-Śiva
अव्याक्षिप्तेन मनसा ध्यानमित्यभिधीयते । बुद्धिप्रवाहरूपस्य ध्यानस्यास्यावलंबनम्
avyākṣiptena manasā dhyānamityabhidhīyate | buddhipravāharūpasya dhyānasyāsyāvalaṃbanam
Quando a mente não se dispersa, esse estado é chamado meditação (dhyāna). Para esta meditação—cuja natureza é um fluxo ininterrupto de discernimento (buddhi)—deve-se manter um apoio firme (ālambana).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Significance: Teaches the practical lakṣaṇa of dhyāna (avyākṣepa) and the need for ālambana; supports sādhakas in stabilizing attention as a prerequisite for Śiva’s grace.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It defines true dhyāna as an undistracted mind and an unbroken flow of discerning awareness, pointing to inner steadiness as the doorway to Shiva-realization and liberation in the Shaiva Siddhanta spirit.
The verse highlights ālambana—an inner support for meditation—which in Saguna worship is commonly the Shiva-Linga, Shiva’s form, or the Panchakshara; such a support stabilizes the mind until awareness becomes a continuous stream directed to Shiva.
Adopt one steady ālambana—such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while visualizing the Linga—and maintain an unbroken attentive flow (buddhi-pravāha), minimizing distraction; this is the practical takeaway of the verse.