Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution

Devanagari script

पौराणिकानि चान्यानि विज्ञेयानि शिवागमे । सांख्ययोगप्रसिद्धानि तत्त्वान्यपि च कानिचित्

Transliteration

paurāṇikāni cānyāni vijñeyāni śivāgame | sāṃkhyayogaprasiddhāni tattvānyapi ca kānicit

Translation

శివాగమములో ఇతర పౌరాణిక ఉపదేశములును గ్రహించవలెను; అలాగే సాంఖ్య-యోగములలో ప్రసిద్ధమైన కొన్ని తత్త్వములును అక్కడ బోధించబడినవి.

Word by Word

• paurāṇikāni: purāṇic, belonging to the Purāṇas
• paurāṇikāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paurāṇika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Bahuvacana; adjective qualifying implied/expressed neuter plural items

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात) conjunction

• anyāni: other
• anyāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā Bahuvacana; adjective

• vijñeyāni: to be understood/recognized
• vijñeyāni: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा) + vi + ya (कृत्: यत्/तव्यत्-भाव, here gerundive sense)
• Form: Kṛdanta (कृदन्त) gerundive/obligatory passive participle; Napumsaka, Prathamā Bahuvacana; ‘to be known/understood’

• śiva-āgame: in the Śiva-Āgama (Śaiva scripture)
• śiva-āgame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + āgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘śivasya āgamaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (सप्तमी) Ekavacana; locative of domain/text

• sāṃkhya-yoga-prasiddhāni: well-known in Sāṃkhya and Yoga
• sāṃkhya-yoga-prasiddhāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāṃkhya (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + prasiddha (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (locative/associative sense) ‘sāṃkhye yoge ca prasiddhāni’; Napumsaka, Prathamā Bahuvacana; adjective

• tattvāni: principles, realities (tattvas)
• tattvāni: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य) of ‘vijñeyāni’ (predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā Bahuvacana

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/saṃgraha-nipāta (निपात) ‘also/even’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta conjunction

• kānicit: some (certain)
• kānicit: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāni-cit (प्रातिपदिक: kim + cit)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā Bahuvacana; indefinite pronoun/adjective

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that Śaiva revelation (Śiva-āgama) includes and integrates Purāṇic instruction and disciplined philosophical inquiry (tattva-vicāra), guiding the seeker toward liberation under the grace of Pati (Śiva).

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

By grounding devotion in right understanding: Linga/Saguna worship is not mere ritualism, but is supported by tattva-knowledge and yogic discipline taught in Śaiva āgamas, leading from form-based worship to realization of Śiva as the supreme Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points generally to āgamic practice supported by Yoga—steady meditation and disciplined inquiry into tattvas—typically complemented in Śaiva practice by mantra-japa (e.g., the Panchākṣarī) and āgamic worship procedures.