Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

Śiva’s Freedom from Bondage and His Cosmic Support (शिवस्य अबन्धत्वं तथा सर्वाधिष्ठानत्वम्)

Devanagari script

न तस्य कारणं कर्ता नादिरंतस्तथांतरम् । न कर्म करणं वापि नाकार्यं कार्यमेव च

Transliteration

na tasya kāraṇaṃ kartā nādiraṃtastathāṃtaram | na karma karaṇaṃ vāpi nākāryaṃ kāryameva ca

Translation

Для Него нет ни причины, ни деятеля; нет ни начала, ни конца, ни «внутри», ни «между». У Него нет действия и нет орудия действия; для Него нет ни «того, что не следует делать», ни даже «того, что следует делать».

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• tasya: of him/its
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सामान्य (Genitive singular of pronoun)

• kāraṇam: cause
• kāraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• kartā: doer/agent
• kartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ādiḥ: beginning
• ādiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• antaḥ: end
• antaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tathā: thus/also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'thus/so')

• antaram: intermediate/within
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• karma: action/deed
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• karaṇam: instrument/means
• karaṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: 'also/even')

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• akāryam: non-action/what is not to be done
• akāryam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negated: 'non-duty/non-effect')

• kāryam: duty/what is to be done
• kāryam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle: 'indeed/only')

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site narrative; it states Śiva’s non-contingency (no external cause/agent) and transcendence of action/instrument while remaining the ultimate ground of causality.

Significance: Supports contemplation of Śiva as svatantra-kāraṇa (independent ground), dissolving anxiety about doership and reinforcing surrender (śaraṇāgati).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Implicit anādi/ananta framing (beyond beginning/end), resonant with pralaya/mahāpralaya transcendence though not explicitly stated.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva (Pati) as absolutely transcendent—beyond causation, time-bound limits, inner divisions, and karma—so liberation is attained by realizing Him as the independent Lord who is not conditioned like the bound soul (paśu).

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

Though Shiva is described here as beyond action and attributes (nirguṇa), the Linga and saguna forms are compassionate supports for devotees; worship purifies the paśu from pāśa (bondage) and leads the mind to the same transcendent reality indicated by this verse.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as anādi–ananta (without beginning or end) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; let the practice emphasize inner stillness and freedom from the sense of doership (kartṛtva), supported by traditional aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa if followed.