Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

प्रयाणं कुरुते यस्मात्तस्मात्प्राणो ऽभिधीयते । अवाङ्नयत्यपानाख्यो यदाहारादि भुज्यते

Transliteration

prayāṇaṃ kurute yasmāttasmātprāṇo 'bhidhīyate | avāṅnayatyapānākhyo yadāhārādi bhujyate

Translation

உயிரின் ‘பிரயாணம்’ எனும் முன்னோக்குச் செலுத்தலை ஏற்படுத்துவதால் அது ‘பிராணன்’ எனப்படுகிறது. கீழ்நோக்கி இட்டுச் செலுத்துவது ‘அபானன்’ என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது; அதனால் உணவு முதலியவை உட்கொள்ளப்பட்டு செரிமானம் பெறுகின்றன।

Word by Word

• प्रयाणम्: departure / going forth
• प्रयाणम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• कुरुते: does / performs
• कुरुते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular

• यस्मात्: from which / because of which
• यस्मात्: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन — Ablative (5th), Singular; सर्वनाम

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that
• तस्मात्: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन — Ablative (5th), Singular; सर्वनाम

• प्राणः: prāṇa (vital breath)
• प्राणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• अभिधीयते: is called / is designated
• अभिधीयते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• अवाक्: downward
• अवाक्: दिशा/रीति (Direction/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवाक् (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय — दिशावाचक (directional adverb: downward)

• नयति: leads / carries
• नयति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• अपान-आख्यः: named apāna
• अपान-आख्यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपान (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (अपान इति आख्यः = named ‘apāna’)

• यदा: when
• यदा: काल (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — कालवाचक (temporal: when)

• आहार-आदि: food and the like
• आहार-आदि: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (आहारश्च आदिश्च = ‘food etc.’; ‘आदि’ समाहारार्थ)

• भुज्यते: is eaten / is consumed
• भुज्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present Passive, 3rd person, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva yogic doctrine to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines prāṇa and apāna as ordered movements of life-force; in Shaiva Siddhanta, mastering these currents supports inner purification (pāśa-śaithilya) so the soul (paśu) can turn toward Shiva (Pati) through disciplined practice.

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

Linga-worship is paired with inner worship: regulating prāṇa and apāna steadies the mind, making japa and dhyāna on Shiva’s saguna form (and the Linga as His mark) more concentrated and sattvic.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prāṇāyāma with awareness of upward prāṇa and downward apāna, used to stabilize breath before Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and silent meditation on the Shiva-Linga.