Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 57

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा विस्मयाविष्टा देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः । प्रणम्य यक्षं पप्रच्छुः को ऽसौ यक्षो विलक्षणः

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā vismayāviṣṭā devāḥ śakrapurogamāḥ | praṇamya yakṣaṃ papracchuḥ ko 'sau yakṣo vilakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

ครั้นเหล่าเทพผู้มีศักระ (อินทรา) เป็นผู้นำได้เห็นสภาวะอัศจรรย์นั้น ก็ถูกความพิศวงครอบงำ แล้วก้มกราบยักษะและทูลถามว่า “ยักษะผู้วิลักษณ์นี้คือผู้ใด?”

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• विस्मय-आविष्टाः: overcome by astonishment
• विस्मय-आविष्टाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (√विश्/आ-विश्, क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिवत् विशेषण-प्रयोग; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘आविष्ट’ = possessed/entered

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• शक्र-पुरोगमाः: with Indra at the forefront
• शक्र-पुरोगमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘शक्रः पुरोगमी येषाम्’ इति अर्थे—शक्र-पूर्वगाः (with Indra in front)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having bowed’

• यक्षम्: the Yakṣa
• यक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पप्रच्छुः: they asked
• पप्रच्छुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-छ्/पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Prashna-padārtha (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Prashna-padārtha (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दूरवाचक सर्वनाम (distal demonstrative)

• यक्षः: Yakṣa
• यक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विलक्षणः: extraordinary/remarkable
• विलक्षणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vayu Samhita account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Shakra)
• Devas
• Yaksha

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the Devas, when faced with the Supreme Mystery, must abandon pride and approach with reverence; wonder becomes the doorway to right knowledge when it leads to surrender before the higher Reality (Pati).

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

The Yakṣa functions as a veiled manifestation of the Supreme, reminding devotees that Saguna forms (such as the Linga) compassionately reveal the otherwise incomprehensible Lord; worship begins with namaskāra (bowing) and inquiry rooted in humility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice namaskāra with the Panchakshara spirit—humble surrender—then engage in self-inquiry and japa (e.g., “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to dissolve ego and recognize Shiva as the inner Lord beyond limited powers.