Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

क्रमेणाभ्यस्यमानोयं प्राणायामप्रमाणवान् । निर्दहत्यखिलं दोषं कर्तुर्देहं च रक्षति

Transliteration

krameṇābhyasyamānoyaṃ prāṇāyāmapramāṇavān | nirdahatyakhilaṃ doṣaṃ karturdehaṃ ca rakṣati

Translation

เมื่อฝึกปราณายามอันมีระเบียบและมีประมาณนี้อย่างค่อยเป็นค่อยไปและสม่ำเสมอ ย่อมเผาผลาญมลทินทั้งปวง และยังคุ้มครองกายของผู้ปฏิบัติด้วย.

Word by Word

• क्रमेण: gradually, in sequence
• क्रमेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (instrumental used adverbially): ‘क्रमेण’ = ‘क्रमशः/in order’

• अभ्यस्यमानः: being practiced
• अभ्यस्यमानः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ‘अयम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + अस् (धातु ‘अस्/अभ्यासे’ as ‘अभ्यस्’) + शानच् → अभ्यस्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्/Present passive participle sense: ‘being practiced’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अयम्: this (practice)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राणायामप्रमाणवान्: having proper measure in prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायामप्रमाणवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ‘अयम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणायाम + प्रमाणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्राणायामस्य प्रमाणम् यस्य सः/‘having the measure of prāṇāyāma’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्दहति: burns away, destroys
• निर्दहति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अखिलम्: entire, all
• अखिलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (दोषम्)

• दोषम्: fault, impurity
• दोषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तुः: of the doer/practitioner
• कर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• रक्षति: protects
• रक्षति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined, measured prāṇāyāma—done gradually—purifies the doṣas (inner impurities) that bind the soul (paśu) and supports steadiness for turning toward Pati (Shiva), aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on purification as a prerequisite for grace and liberation.

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

By burning impurities and stabilizing the body-mind, prāṇāyāma prepares the devotee for focused Linga-upāsanā—such as japa of the Panchākṣarī and dhyāna on Saguna Shiva—so worship becomes concentrated, sattvic, and fit for receiving Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A gradual, properly measured prāṇāyāma practice (regulated breath discipline), ideally supporting Shiva-oriented sādhanā like mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditation, while maintaining bodily steadiness and purity.