Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः

Mantra Efficacy, Removal of Obstacles, and the Role of Faith/Discipline

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । एतत्ते कथितं कृष्ण कर्मेहामुत्र सिद्धिदम् । क्रियातपोजपध्यानसमुच्चयमयं परम्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | etatte kathitaṃ kṛṣṇa karmehāmutra siddhidam | kriyātapojapadhyānasamuccayamayaṃ param

Translation

உபமன்யு கூறினார்—ஓ கிருஷ்ணா, இவ்வுலகிலும் அடுத்துலகிலும் சித்தி அளிக்கும் அந்த உன்னத சாதனையை நான் உனக்குச் சொன்னேன்; அது கிரியை, தவம், ஜபம், தியானம் ஆகியவற்றின் ஒருங்கிணைந்த நடைமுறை.

Word by Word

• upamanyuḥ: Upamanyu
• upamanyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upamanyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (object-content) / Vākyārtha (वाक्यार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• kathitam: told, narrated
• kathitam: Pradhāna-nāmabhāva (predicate/apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kathita (प्रातिपदिक; √kath + क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle; Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with ‘etat’

• kṛṣṇa: O Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular

• karma: (this) practice/rite
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; subject of implied ‘(is)’

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/कालवाचक) ‘here (in this world)’

• amutra: there (hereafter)
• amutra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: amutra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/कालवाचक) ‘there (in the other world)’

• siddhi-dam: granting success
• siddhi-dam: Viśeṣaṇa of kartā (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + da (धातु/प्रातिपदिक ‘giver’)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: siddhiṃ dadāti iti; qualifies ‘karma’

• kriyā-tapaḥ-japa-dhyāna-samuccaya-mayam: consisting of the combined set of ritual, austerity, japa, and meditation
• kriyā-tapaḥ-japa-dhyāna-samuccaya-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + japa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + samuccaya (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; multi-member determinative: ‘consisting of a collection (samuccaya) of ritual action, austerity, repetition, and meditation’; qualifies implied ‘etat/karma’

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; superlative sense ‘supreme’; qualifies the preceding neuter subject

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Didactic transition: Upamanyu summarizes a ‘supreme discipline’ (parama karma) integrating kriyā, tapas, japa, and dhyāna for success here and hereafter.

Significance: Positions Śaiva sādhanā as both worldly and transcendent: iha (well-being, steadiness) and amutra (higher states culminating in Śiva’s grace).

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva ideal of a complete sādhana: outer observance (kriyā) and inner transformation (japa and dhyāna), strengthened by tapas, leading to well-being here and spiritual attainment beyond.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship through kriyā—such as Linga-pūjā—while affirming that true fruition arises when ritual is joined with mantra-japa and meditation directed to Śiva as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A combined regimen: regular Shiva-ritual worship (kriyā), disciplined austerity (tapas), sustained mantra-japa (commonly the Panchākṣarī), and steady dhyāna on Śiva for integrated progress.