Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

तदतीतं च नैर्गुण्यादध्वनोस्य विशोधकम् । द्वयोः प्रमापको नादो नदांतश्च मदात्मकः

Transliteration

tadatītaṃ ca nairguṇyādadhvanosya viśodhakam | dvayoḥ pramāpako nādo nadāṃtaśca madātmakaḥ

Translation

เมื่อก้าวล่วงหนทางทั้งสิ้นแล้ว สิ่งนั้นเป็นสภาวะนิรคุณะและเป็นผู้ชำระทางแห่งการปรากฏนี้ นาทะเป็นผู้วัดและผู้กำกับทั้งสองฝ่าย (ปรากฏและไม่ปรากฏ) และนาทานตะมีสภาวะเป็น “อหัง” คือความรู้สึกตัวภายใน

Word by Word

• तत्-अतीतम्: that which is beyond
• तत्-अतीतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त, √इ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• नैर्गुण्यात्: from (the state of) being beyond guṇas
• नैर्गुण्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्गुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• अध्वनः: of the path(s)
• अध्वनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• विशोधकम्: purifying/clarifying
• विशोधकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+√शुध्/√शोध् (धातु) → शोधक (कृदन्त, ण्वुल्)
• Form: कृदन्त (agent noun/adjective, ण्वुल्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• द्वयोः: of the two
• द्वयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विवचन-प्रयोग; षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन (dual)

• प्रमापकः: the measurer/assessor
• प्रमापकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र+√मा (धातु) → मापक (कृदन्त, ण्वुल्)
• Form: कृदन्त (agent noun, ण्वुल्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• नादः: nāda (mystic sound)
• नादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• नाद-अन्तः: the end/limit of nāda
• नाद-अन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• मद्-आत्मकः: of my nature / consisting of me
• मद्-आत्मकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Nāda (inner sound) as a purifying principle that guides the seeker beyond the manifest “path” toward nirguṇa realization, where the culmination of sound dissolves into direct self-awareness aligned with Shiva-consciousness.

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

Saguna worship (including Linga-upāsanā) refines the mind and senses; this verse points to the inner progression where devotion matures into subtle contemplation of Nāda, finally transcending all forms into nirguṇa Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative practice of inner listening (nāda-anusandhāna)—quieting speech and attention to trace sound back to its source—supported by Shaiva disciplines like mantra-japa and purity observances.