Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

ध्यानप्रकारनिर्णयः / Determination of the Modes of Meditation

on Śrīkaṇṭha-Śiva

Devanagari script

स्वस्थता या तु सा बुद्धः प्रसादः परिकीर्तितः । कारणानि च सर्वाणि सबाह्याभ्यंतराणि च

Transliteration

svasthatā yā tu sā buddhaḥ prasādaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | kāraṇāni ca sarvāṇi sabāhyābhyaṃtarāṇi ca

Translation

స్వస్వరూపంలో స్థిరంగా నిలిచే ఆ స్వస్థతను జ్ఞానులు ‘ప్రసాదం’—అంటే నిర్మలమైన ప్రశాంత స్పష్టత—అని కీర్తిస్తారు. అది బాహ్య, అంతర్గతమైన అన్ని కారణాలను కూడా ఆవర్తిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• स्वस्थता: well-being, steadiness
• स्वस्थता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्थता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• या: which
• या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Relative pronoun

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Demonstrative pronoun

• बुद्धः: awareness/intellect (buddhi) / the awakened (contextual)
• बुद्धः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• प्रसादः: clarity, grace, serenity
• प्रसादः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• परिकीर्तितः: is proclaimed/declared
• परिकीर्तितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √कीर्त् (धातु) → परिकीर्तित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘having been proclaimed’ (used predicatively)

• कारणानि: causes
• कारणानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; in listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — Nominative/Accusative plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — agrees with कारणानि

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Compositional marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — उपसर्गसदृशः ‘स-’ (prefix meaning ‘with’) used in composition

• बाह्य: external
• बाह्य: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन — first member in coordination with आभ्यन्तराणि

• आभ्यन्तराणि: internal
• आभ्यन्तराणि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — agrees with कारणानि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines prasāda as svasthatā—abiding in one’s own nature—indicating a Shaiva ideal of inner clarity where both outer circumstances and inner impulses no longer disturb the seeker.

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

Linga-worship steadies the mind and turns it inward; through devotion and contemplation, the devotee gains prasāda—serene clarity—seen as Shiva’s grace maturing into inner self-abidance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative steadiness (dhyāna) supported by Shiva-upāsanā—such as japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—cultivates svasthatā, the calm clarity called prasāda.