Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 170

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

लौकिका ब्राह्मणास्सर्वे क्षत्रियाश्च विशः क्रमात् । वेदवेदांगतत्त्वज्ञाः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदाः

Transliteration

laukikā brāhmaṇāssarve kṣatriyāśca viśaḥ kramāt | vedavedāṃgatattvajñāḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradāḥ

Translation

అన్ని లోకిక జనులు—బ్రాహ్మణులు, అలాగే క్రమంగా క్షత్రియులు, వైశ్యులు—వేదవేదాంగ తత్త్వజ్ఞులు, సమస్త శాస్త్రాలలో నిపుణులు.

Word by Word

• laukikāḥ: worldly/ordinary
• laukikāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laukika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifying the following groups

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifying brāhmaṇāḥ

• kṣatriyāḥ: Kshatriyas
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

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

• viśaḥ: the people (Vaiśyas)
• viśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘the common people/Viś (Vaiśyas)’

• kramāt: in due order
• kramāt: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-प्रयोगेण अव्ययवत्): ‘in order/gradually’

• veda-vedāṅga-tattva-jñāḥ: knowers of Veda, Vedāṅgas, and their principles
• veda-vedāṅga-tattva-jñāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda + vedāṅga + tattva + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘knowers of the truths of Veda and Vedāṅgas’; internal dvandva (veda+vedāṅga) within tatpuruṣa to tattva, then to jña

• sarva-śāstra-viśāradāḥ: expert in all treatises
• sarva-śāstra-viśāradāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + śāstra + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘well-versed in all śāstras’; समासः तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No Jyotirliṅga reference; the verse describes an idealized social-religious milieu where varṇas are learned in Veda/Vedāṅga and śāstra—knowledge that, in Siddhānta terms, can still remain ‘laukika’ (worldly) unless transmuted by Śiva’s anugraha beyond tirodhāna.

Significance: Implied teaching: mere śāstra-viśāradatā is not identical with Śiva-realization; pilgrimage/ritual must be oriented to Śiva to cross from laukika learning to liberating knowledge.

FAQs

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

It praises a dharmic society grounded in śruti and śāstra, implying that Shiva’s highest teaching (Pati-tattva) is best approached through disciplined knowledge and right understanding, not mere custom.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is repeatedly framed as Veda-supported; this verse establishes that qualified people understood the Vedas and auxiliaries, thereby performing Shiva’s saguna worship with correct mantra, vidhi, and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Study and recitation of Vedic-Śaiva mantras with proper discipline is implied; in Shiva Purana terms, this supports steady japa (especially Panchakshara), along with scripturally guided observances such as bhasma-dhāraṇa and Rudrāksha when taught in context.