Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

तमिमं सर्वतः श्रेष्ठं स्मृत्वा साम्बस्त्रियम्बकः । रैभ्याश्रमसमीपस्थश्चान्तर्धानं गतो ययौ

Transliteration

tamimaṃ sarvataḥ śreṣṭhaṃ smṛtvā sāmbastriyambakaḥ | raibhyāśramasamīpasthaścāntardhānaṃ gato yayau

Translation

เมื่อระลึกถึงพระองค์ว่าเป็นผู้ประเสริฐสูงสุดโดยรอบด้าน พระตรีอัมพกะมหาเทพ (พระศิวะ) พร้อมพระอุมาเสด็จไปใกล้อาศรมของไรภยะ แล้วทรงอันตรธานด้วยฤทธิ์โยคะและเสด็จจากไป

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: कर्म (Object of स्मृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘this’ (emphatic with तम्)

• सर्वतः: in every way
• सर्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, परिमाण/दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (in every way/from all sides)

• श्रेष्ठम्: excellent, best
• श्रेष्ठम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तम्/इमम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund), ‘having remembered’

• साम्बस्त्रियम्बकः: Śiva, the one with Umā; the three-eyed
• साम्बस्त्रियम्बकः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-अम्ब + त्रि-अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक; साम्ब + त्रियम्बक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘अम्बया सह’ (साम्बः) तथा ‘त्रयोऽम्बका यस्य’ (त्रियम्बकः) — शिवस्य नाम

• रैभ्याश्रमसमीपस्थः: standing near Raibhya’s hermitage
• रैभ्याश्रमसमीपस्थः: विशेषण (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रैभ्य-आश्रम-समীপ-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रैभ्याश्रमस्य समीपे स्थितः’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अन्तर्धानम्: disappearance, invisibility
• अन्तर्धानम्: कर्म (Object; goal/state attained)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर्धान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गतः: having gone/entered
• गतः: क्रिया (Predicate; having gone)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘गत’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tryambaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse situates Śiva near Raibhya’s āśrama; it functions as an āśrama-kṣetra episode rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Highlights Śiva’s yogic sovereignty (aiśvarya) and tirodhāna-śakti: the Lord can reveal or conceal Himself; pilgrims seek ‘darśana’ which is grace-dependent, not mechanically guaranteed.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Raibhya

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord “best in every way”—whose freedom includes yogic sovereignty (antardhāna). His disappearance teaches that the Divine is not limited to visible form and is approached through devotion and inner realization.

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

Śiva’s becoming invisible highlights that while Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā) provides an accessible focus, the Lord ultimately transcends sensory grasp; the Linga points the devotee from form to the formless reality of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate remembrance (smaraṇa) of Śiva as “sarvataḥ śreṣṭha,” repeating the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with steady attention, treating the Lord’s presence as inwardly accessible even when not outwardly seen.