Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

सत्यं संतोषमास्तिक्यमहिंसा सर्वजंतुषु । ह्रीश्रद्धाध्ययनं योगस्सदाध्यापनमेव च

Transliteration

satyaṃ saṃtoṣamāstikyamahiṃsā sarvajaṃtuṣu | hrīśraddhādhyayanaṃ yogassadādhyāpanameva ca

Translation

ความสัตย์ ความสันโดษ ความเชื่อมั่นในธรรม (อาสติกยะ) และอหิงสาต่อสรรพชีวิต; ความละอายอันประเสริฐ ศรัทธา การศึกษาคัมภีร์ วินัยแห่งโยคะ และการสั่งสอนอยู่เสมอ—เหล่านี้คือคุณธรรมอันสรรเสริญ

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truthfulness
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• संतोषम्: contentment
• संतोषम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आस्तिक्यम्: faith (theism)
• आस्तिक्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्तिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वजन्तुषु: toward/in all beings
• सर्वजन्तुषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (सर्वेषु जन्तुषु); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• ह्री: modesty
• ह्री: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समुच्चय-निर्देशे)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समुच्चय-निर्देशे)

• अध्ययनम्: study
• अध्ययनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: always)

• अध्यापनम्: teaching
• अध्यापनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic/only/indeed)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General ethical-yogic qualifications rather than a shrine legend; it describes sādhana that purifies the paśu and makes it fit for Śiva-jñāna.

Significance: Frames pilgrimage as inner transformation: satya, ahiṃsā, śraddhā, adhyayana, yoga, and teaching stabilize dharma and open the channel for anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It lists the core sādhana of character—truth, contentment, faith, non-violence, modesty, scriptural study, and yoga—showing that purification of the pashu (individual soul) is essential before higher Shaiva realization and liberation by Shiva’s grace.

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

Linga worship is not only ritual; it is supported by ethical and yogic discipline. These virtues make the devotee fit for Saguna Shiva worship, steady japa and pūjā, and for receiving Shiva’s anugraha (grace) that leads beyond bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It directly recommends yoga and continual study/recitation; in Shaiva practice this is naturally paired with daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), scriptural svādhyāya, and living ahimsa and satya as the foundation of worship.