Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 68

श्रद्धामाहात्म्यं तथा देवीप्रश्नः

The Greatness of Śraddhā and Devī’s Question to Śiva

Devanagari script

मद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं पूजायां चानुमोदनम् । स्वयमभ्यर्चनं चैव मदर्थे चांगचेष्टितम् । मत्कथाश्रवणे भक्तिः स्वरनेत्रांगविक्रियाः । ममानुस्मरणं नित्यं यश्च मामुपजीवति

Transliteration

madbhaktajanavātsalyaṃ pūjāyāṃ cānumodanam | svayamabhyarcanaṃ caiva madarthe cāṃgaceṣṭitam | matkathāśravaṇe bhaktiḥ svaranetrāṃgavikriyāḥ | mamānusmaraṇaṃ nityaṃ yaśca māmupajīvati

Translation

నా భక్తుల పట్ల వాత్సల్యం; పూజలో ఆనందంతో అనుమోదనం; స్వయంగా నన్ను అర్చించడం; నా కొరకు దేహచేష్టలను చేయడం; నా కథలను వినుటలో భక్తి; భక్తిభావంతో స్వరం, నేత్రాలు, అవయవాలలో మార్పులు; నిత్యం నన్ను స్మరించడం; మరియు నన్నే ఆధారంగా జీవించడం—ఇవి నా భక్తి లక్షణాలు.

Word by Word

• mat-bhakta-jana-vātsalyam: affection toward my devotees
• mat-bhakta-jana-vātsalyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक) + vātsalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः = 'मम भक्तजनस्य वात्सल्यम्'

• pūjāyām: in worship
• pūjāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• anumodanam: approval/assent
• anumodanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anumodana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• svayam: oneself
• svayam: Prakāra (प्रकार-अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• abhyarcanam: personal worship
• abhyarcanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhi-√arc (धातु)
• Form: Action noun (कृत्: ल्युट्/अन), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• mat-arthe: for my sake
• mat-arthe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'मम अर्थः/हेतुः'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• aṅga-ceṣṭitam: bodily actions/gestures
• aṅga-ceṣṭitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + ceṣṭita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'अङ्गानां चेष्टितम्'

• mat-kathā-śravaṇe: in hearing my stories
• mat-kathā-śravaṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'मम कथायाः श्रवणम्'

• bhaktiḥ: devotion
• bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• svara-netra-aṅga-vikriyāḥ: changes in voice, eyes, and limbs
• svara-netra-aṅga-vikriyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक) + netra (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vikriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः = 'स्वरः च नेत्रम् च अङ्गम् च (तासां) विक्रियाः'

• mama-anusmaraṇam: remembrance of me
• mama-anusmaraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mama (षष्ठी of asmad) + anusmaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'मम अनुस्मरणम्'

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kāla (काल-अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• upajīvati: lives by/depends on
• upajīvati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√jīv (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching the characteristics of His devotee in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā’s philosophical discourse, narrated within Suta’s account)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Gives practical bhakti-lakṣaṇas that pilgrims can cultivate: service to devotees, joy in pūjā, kathā-śravaṇa, and nitya-smaraṇa—seen as signs of Śiva’s grace working in the soul.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines Shiva-bhakti as both inner absorption (constant remembrance and dependence on Shiva as Pati) and outer conduct (serving Shiva’s devotees, worship, and dedicating bodily actions to Him), showing devotion as a transformative state of heart and life.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā through concrete practices—personal worship (abhyarcana), approval and encouragement of pūjā, and embodied service—typical of Linga-worship where devotion expresses itself through ritual, reverence, and daily dedication to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily pūjā and attentive listening to Shiva-kathā with bhakti, combined with nitya-anusmaraṇa (constant remembrance, such as japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and practical service to Shiva’s devotees.