Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

वायुरुवाच । ततः प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य पतिमम्बा पतिव्रता । नियम्य च वियोगार्तिं जगाम हिमवद्गिरिम्

Transliteration

vāyuruvāca | tataḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya patimambā pativratā | niyamya ca viyogārtiṃ jagāma himavadgirim

Translation

వాయువు పలికెను—ఆపై పతివ్రత అయిన అంబా తన పతిని ప్రదక్షిణ చేసి; వియోగవేదనను నియమించి హిమవద్గిరికి వెళ్లెను.

Word by Word

• वायुः: Vāyu
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रदक्षिणी-कृत्य: having circumambulated
• प्रदक्षिणी-कृत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रदक्षिणी√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having circumambulated’

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अम्बा: Ambā
• अम्बा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पतिव्रता: devoted to her husband
• पतिव्रता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति+व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) अम्बायाः

• नियम्य: having restrained
• नियम्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having restrained/controlled’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वियोग-आर्तिम्: distress of separation
• वियोग-आर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियोग+आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हिमवत्-गिरिम्: to the Himavat mountain
• हिमवत्-गिरिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत्+गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; गन्तव्य-स्थानम्

Speaker

Vayu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: Himālaya is the archetypal Śaiva tapas-bhūmi; Kedāra traditions place Śiva in Himalayan seclusion. Though this verse is not a Kedāra-specific legend, the movement to Himavat naturally aligns with Kedāranātha’s Himalayan Śiva-sthāna associations.

Significance: Symbolizes turning from separation (viyoga) to disciplined approach (niyama) and pradakṣiṇā—core pilgrimage gestures; supports bhakti grounded in restraint and perseverance.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Parvati
• Shiva
• Himalaya

FAQs

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

It portrays the Shaiva ideal of the soul turning to Pati (Shiva) with reverence (pradakṣiṇā) and then mastering grief through niyama—inner restraint—so that devotion matures into steadiness rather than emotional collapse.

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

Circumambulation is a classic act of Saguna Shiva worship—honoring Shiva as the accessible Lord. The verse emphasizes that outer worship should be joined with inner discipline, aligning devotion with yogic control of the mind.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pradakṣiṇā with bhakti, followed by niyama: consciously restraining sorrow and re-centering the mind on Shiva—often supported in Shaiva practice by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady contemplation.