Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

शिवसंस्कार-दीक्षानिरूपणम् (Śivasaṃskāra and the Typology of Dīkṣā)

Devanagari script

समर्प्य सोदकं तस्मै नित्यं तद्वशगो भवेत् । यदा शिवाय स्वात्मानं दत्तवान् देशिकात्मने

Transliteration

samarpya sodakaṃ tasmai nityaṃ tadvaśago bhavet | yadā śivāya svātmānaṃ dattavān deśikātmane

Translation

เมื่อถวายอรรฆยะพร้อมน้ำแด่คุรุผู้นั้นแล้ว พึงอยู่ภายใต้การชี้นำและวินัยของท่านทุกวัน; เพราะเมื่อผู้ใดมอบตนแก่พระศิวะผู้สถิตในรูปแห่งอาจารย์แล้ว

Word by Word

• समर्प्य: having offered
• समर्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having offered/delivered’

• स-उदकम्: (it) with water
• स-उदकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘स’ उपपदपूर्वक (with water)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: ‘always’)

• तत्-वशगः: subservient to him
• तत्-वशगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + वशग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्तर्भूत-कर्ता); तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तस्य वशे गतः’)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal: ‘when’)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• स्व-आत्मानम्: one’s own self
• स्व-आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (‘स्वः आत्मा’)

• दत्तवान्: (he) gave / having given
• दत्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (‘having given/one who gave’)

• देशिक-आत्मने: to the guru (teacher) himself
• देशिक-आत्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देशिक + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘देशिकस्य आत्मा’/‘देशिकरूप आत्मा’); सम्प्रदान

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru (Deshika)

FAQs

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

It teaches that true Śiva-bhakti matures into complete self-surrender, expressed as steady obedience to the Guru who embodies Śiva’s grace and guidance toward liberation.

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

Just as the Liṅga is a saguna focus for approaching the transcendent Śiva, the realized Guru is presented as Śiva’s living presence—through whom the devotee learns right worship, right knowledge, and disciplined devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A daily offering with water (udaka) to the Guru, coupled with consistent Guru-sevā and disciplined practice—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—as an outward sign of inner surrender.