Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55

ध्यानप्रकारनिर्णयः / Determination of the Modes of Meditation

on Śrīkaṇṭha-Śiva

Devanagari script

शिवार्थे यस्त्यजेत्प्राणाञ्छिवभक्तार्थमेव वा । न तेन सदृशः कश्चिन्मुक्तिमार्गस्थितो नरः

Transliteration

śivārthe yastyajetprāṇāñchivabhaktārthameva vā | na tena sadṛśaḥ kaścinmuktimārgasthito naraḥ

Translation

శివుని కొరకు—లేదా శివభక్తుల కొరకు మాత్రమే—ప్రాణాలను త్యజించువాడు, ముక్తిమార్గంలో నిలిచిన మనుష్యులలో అతనికి సమానుడు ఎవరూ లేరు.

Word by Word

• शिवार्थे: for Śiva’s sake
• शिवार्थे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अर्थे = 'for the sake of' (locative of purpose)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यजेत्: would give up, would sacrifice
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, life
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• शिवभक्तार्थम्: for the sake of a devotee of Śiva
• शिवभक्तार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवभक्तार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; शिवभक्त + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अर्थम् = 'for the sake of' (accusative of purpose)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Nipata (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• तेन: than him / with him
• तेन: Upamana-apeksha (उपमानापेक्षा/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• सदृशः: equal, similar
• सदृशः: Pratijna (प्रतिज्ञा/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रत्यय (indefinite: -चित्)

• मुक्तिमार्गस्थितः: standing on the path of liberation
• मुक्तिमार्गस्थितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्तिमार्गस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; मुक्ति + मार्ग + स्थित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of नरः)

• नरः: man, person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that the highest mark of a seeker of moksha is total self-offering: giving one’s life for Shiva or for Shiva’s devotees. In Shaiva Siddhanta, such devotion (bhakti) and service (seva) purify the soul and loosen the bonds (pāśa) that obstruct liberation.

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

Serving Shiva’s devotees and offering oneself for Shiva’s cause is treated as direct worship of Saguna Shiva, because the Lord is pleased when His bhaktas are protected and honored. This spirit of surrender is the inner essence behind external Linga worship and temple service.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is bhakta-seva and Shiva-arpana-bhāva: perform daily worship with Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), apply bhasma (tripuṇḍra), and treat service to Shiva devotees as an offering to Shiva—placing ego aside even at personal cost.