Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

शिवसंस्कार-दीक्षानिरूपणम् (Śivasaṃskāra and the Typology of Dīkṣā)

Devanagari script

शिष्योपि लक्षणैरेभिः कुर्याद्गुरुपरीक्षणम् । तत्संपर्कैः शिवार्चादौ संगतैर्वाथ तद्गतैः

Transliteration

śiṣyopi lakṣaṇairebhiḥ kuryādguruparīkṣaṇam | tatsaṃparkaiḥ śivārcādau saṃgatairvātha tadgataiḥ

Translation

แม้ศิษย์ก็ควรพิจารณาตรวจสอบครูด้วยลักษณะเหล่านี้ โดยสังเกตความคบหาและความเกี่ยวข้องของท่าน—ผู้ที่อยู่ร่วมกับท่าน ผู้ที่ผูกพันกับท่าน และผู้ที่ภายใต้อิทธิพลของท่านประกอบศิวารจนาและวัตรปฏิบัติอันเกี่ยวเนื่อง.

Word by Word

• śiṣyaḥ: the disciple
• śiṣyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle/निपात), samuccaya/anuvṛtti sense = 'also/even'

• lakṣaṇaiḥ: by the characteristics
• lakṣaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• ebhiḥ: with these
• ebhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); sarvanāma used adjectivally with lakṣaṇaiḥ

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• guru-parīkṣaṇam: examination of the guru
• guru-parīkṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + parīkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'of the guru' + 'examination'

• tat-saṃparkaiḥ: by those associations/contacts
• tat-saṃparkaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + saṃparka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'with his/that' + 'contacts/associations'

• śiva-arcā-ādau: in Śiva-worship and the like
• śiva-arcā-ādau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + arcā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); samāsa: 'in Śiva-worship etc.' (arcā-ādi)

• saṃgataiḥ: associated/connected
• saṃgataiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃgata (कृदन्त; √gam धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (kta/क्त), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); agrees with saṃparkaiḥ

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (alternative particle/विकल्प) = 'or'

• atha: and/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Maṅgala/anuvṛtti-avyaya (particle/अव्यय) = 'and/then'

• tat-gataiḥ: by those devoted/attached to that
• tat-gataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त; √gam धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'gone to/pertaining to that (i.e., Śiva-arcā etc.)'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Protects seekers from spiritual harm by recommending due diligence: assess a teacher through their saṅga (associations) and their established Śiva-arcā and disciplines—key for safe pilgrimage-based instruction and temple-centered learning.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru
• Disciple

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment: a seeker should verify a teacher’s authenticity not by claims, but by observable marks—especially purity of conduct and the uplifting, Śiva-centered character of the teacher’s circle—so that devotion leads toward liberation (Pati) rather than deeper bondage (pāśa).

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

Śiva-arcā (Śiva worship) is a practical measure of a guru’s orientation: a genuine Shaiva guide leads disciples into disciplined, reverent Saguna worship (such as Liṅga-pūjā) that purifies the mind and matures into higher realization, rather than mere display or worldly gain.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to evaluate a guru through the lived ecosystem of practice—how Śiva-archana and related sādhana are actually performed under him—ensuring the instruction is steady, scriptural, and devotion-centered (often supported by mantra-japa and regular pūjā).