Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

तस्य ज्ञानागमोप्यस्य प्रसादादेव शांकरात् । कौमारं हि परं साक्षाज्ज्ञानं शक्तिमयं विदुः

Transliteration

tasya jñānāgamopyasya prasādādeva śāṃkarāt | kaumāraṃ hi paraṃ sākṣājjñānaṃ śaktimayaṃ viduḥ

Translation

అతనికి మోక్షదాయక జ్ఞానాగమ ప్రాప్తి కూడా శాంకర ప్రసాదం వల్లనే. మునులు తెలుసుకొనుచున్నారు—పరమమైన ప్రత్యక్ష జ్ఞానం ‘కౌమారోపదేశం’; అది స్వయంగా శక్తిమయం.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• ज्ञान-आगमः: the attainment of knowledge
• ज्ञान-आगमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘ज्ञानस्य आगमः’ = coming/attainment of knowledge

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• अस्य: of this one
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• प्रसादात्: from the grace
• प्रसादात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (source)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• शांकरात्: from Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शांकरात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक; शंकर-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; विशेषण (prasādāt)

• कौमारम्: the Kaumāra (state/knowledge)
• कौमारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of knowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as predicate-noun with ‘viduḥ’ (object)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुगर्भ-निपात (for/indeed)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कौमारम्/ज्ञानम्’)

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (directly/manifestly)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of knowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate/object in apposition to ‘कौमारम्’

• शक्ति-मयम्: consisting of power
• शक्ति-मयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शक्त्या मयम्’ = consisting of power; विशेषण (of ज्ञानम्)

• विदुः: know/consider
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that true liberating knowledge (jñāna) is not merely intellectual—it arises by Śiva’s anugraha (grace), culminating in direct realization (sākṣāt) that is inseparable from Śakti.

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

By emphasizing Śaṅkara’s grace as the source of jñāna, it supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) as a grace-invoking path that ripens the seeker into direct insight of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is grace-oriented sādhanā: steady Shiva-japa (especially the Panchakshara), devotional Linga worship, and contemplative absorption aimed at transforming learning into sākṣāt-anubhava (direct experience).