Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

दशार्थज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थमिन्द्रियेष्वेषु सत्स्वपि । त्रिकालभाविनो भावान्स्थूलान्सूक्ष्मानशेषतः

Transliteration

daśārthajñānasiddhyarthamindriyeṣveṣu satsvapi | trikālabhāvino bhāvānsthūlānsūkṣmānaśeṣataḥ

Translation

इन्द्रियेष्वेषु सत्स्वपि दशार्थज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थं त्रिकालभाविनो भावान् स्थूलान् सूक्ष्मान् चाशेषतः सम्यगवगन्तव्यान्।

Word by Word

• दशार्थज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थम्: for the accomplishment of knowledge of the ten meanings/principles
• दशार्थज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + अर्थ + ज्ञान + सिद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Accusative; Singular); समास-समूह: दश-अर्थ (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः) + ज्ञान (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + सिद्धि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अर्थम् (चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः ‘...सिद्ध्यर्थम्’ = for the accomplishment of ...)

• इन्द्रियेषु: in the senses
• इन्द्रियेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Neuter; Locative; Plural)

• एषु: in these
• एषु: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of इन्द्रियेषु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Pronoun used adjectivally; Neuter; Locative; Plural)

• सत्सु: even when (they) exist/are present
• सत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण—locative absolute with अपि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रायः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Neuter; Locative; Plural)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: even/also)

• त्रिकालभाविनः: existing in the three times (past/present/future)
• त्रिकालभाविनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of भावान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + काल + भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Accusative; Plural); समास: त्रिकालस्य भाविनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• भावान्: entities, states, things
• भावान्: Karma (कर्म/object—things to be considered/known)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Accusative; Plural)

• स्थूलान्: gross
• स्थूलान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of भावान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Accusative; Plural)

• सूक्ष्मान्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of भावान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Accusative; Plural)

• अशेषतः: entirely, without remainder
• अशेषतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: trikāla-bhāva (past–present–future) as epistemic scope

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation-oriented knowledge (tattva-jñāna) requires discerning all experience—gross and subtle—across time, rather than being led by the senses; this supports Shaiva Siddhanta’s aim of moving from pasha-bound perception to Pati-realization.

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

Linga-worship steadies the mind and refines perception so the aspirant can discriminate tattvas; through Saguna devotion one transcends sensory fixation and gains the clarity needed for true knowledge of Shiva as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice sense-restraint with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditative inquiry into tattvas—observing gross and subtle experiences without attachment—supported by regular Shiva-puja and inner contemplation.