Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 57

शिवसंस्कार-दीक्षानिरूपणम् (Śivasaṃskāra and the Typology of Dīkṣā)

Devanagari script

उत्तमांश्चाधमे कृत्वा नीचानुत्तमकर्मणि । आक्रुष्टास्ताडिता वापि ये विषादं न यान्त्यपि

Transliteration

uttamāṃścādhame kṛtvā nīcānuttamakarmaṇi | ākruṣṭāstāḍitā vāpi ye viṣādaṃ na yāntyapi

Translation

వక్రదృష్టితో ఉత్తములను నీచులుగా చేసి, నీచులను ఉత్తమకర్మలకు యోగ్యులుగా భావించేవారు; దూషణలు, దెబ్బలు తగిలినా విషాదంలో పడనివారు—అటువంటి వారు మనస్సులో అచలులు.

Word by Word

• uttamān: the best (people)
• uttamān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

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

• adhame: in/into the lowest (state)
• adhame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘having made/done’

• nīcān: the low (people)
• nīcān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• uttama-karmaṇi: in the best rite/action
• uttama-karmaṇi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘uttamaṃ karma’ (श्रेष्ठं कर्म)

• ākruṣṭāḥ: (those) abused/insulted
• ākruṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-kruś (आक्रुश् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tāḍitāḥ: (those) beaten/struck
• tāḍitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāḍ (ताड् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पबोधक अव्यय)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/अपि-कारक)

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• viṣādam: despondency/sorrow
• viṣādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध अव्यय)

• yānti: go/come (to)
• yānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अपि—बलार्थक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva discipline of steadiness (dhairya) and freedom from dejection (viṣāda): a seeker devoted to Pati (Shiva) should not be shaken by praise or blame, insult or injury, but remain inwardly anchored in dharma and awareness.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to see the one Lord beyond social status and outer judgments. By fixing attention on Saguna Shiva (through pūjā, mantra, and remembrance), the devotee gains equanimity and does not collapse into sorrow when facing hostility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with breath awareness, and keep a daily discipline of bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and simple self-restraint; these support non-reactivity and help prevent viṣāda when challenged.