Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti

Devanagari script

इतीयं शाश्वती निष्ठा सतां मनसि वर्तते । न चैनं पक्षमाश्रित्य वर्तते स्वल्पचेतनः

Transliteration

itīyaṃ śāśvatī niṣṭhā satāṃ manasi vartate | na cainaṃ pakṣamāśritya vartate svalpacetanaḥ

Translation

ความมั่นคงอันเป็นนิรันดร์นี้สถิตอยู่ในใจของสัตบุรุษเสมอ แต่ผู้มีปัญญาน้อยย่อมไม่ดำเนินชีวิตโดยอาศัยฝ่ายแห่งสัจจะนั้นเป็นที่พึ่ง

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-वाचक)

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• śāśvatī: eternal, perpetual
• śāśvatī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāśvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ‘niṣṭhā’

• niṣṭhā: steadfastness, firm resolve
• niṣṭhā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• satām: of the good (people)
• satām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• manasi: in the mind
• manasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• vartate: exists, remains
• vartate: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• enam: this (it/him)
• enam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun (enam)

• pakṣam: side, viewpoint
• pakṣam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• āśritya: having resorted to, relying on
• āśritya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/gerundial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-śri (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form; from √śri with prefix ā-

• vartate: exists, proceeds
• vartate: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• svalpacetanaḥ: a person of little understanding
• svalpacetanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svalpa + cetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय-समास: ‘svalpaḥ cetanaḥ’ (one whose understanding is small)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that enduring spiritual certainty (niṣṭhā) naturally resides in the purified minds of the sādhus, while the unrefined intellect fails to rely on that truth—implying that inner purity and disciplined practice are prerequisites for stable Shiva-oriented realization.

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

Linga/Saguna worship trains the mind toward one-pointed reverence and steadiness; this verse underscores that such steadiness becomes ‘eternal’ in the saintly, whereas the wavering, worldly mind does not consistently take refuge in the Shaiva standpoint centered on Shiva as Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is cultivation of niṣṭhā through daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Linga-pūjā; supported by Shaiva disciplines like wearing Rudraksha and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) to stabilize devotion and discernment.