Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

धारणा नाम चित्तस्य स्थानबन्धस्समासतः । स्थानं च शिव एवैको नान्यद्दोषत्रयं यतः

Transliteration

dhāraṇā nāma cittasya sthānabandhassamāsataḥ | sthānaṃ ca śiva evaiko nānyaddoṣatrayaṃ yataḥ

Translation

โดยย่อ ธารณา คือการผูกจิตไว้ ณ ที่ตั้งเดียว. ที่ตั้งนั้นมีเพียงพระศิวะเท่านั้น มิใช่อื่นใด เพราะสิ่งอื่นล้วนตกอยู่ใต้โทษสามประการ.

Word by Word

• धारणा: concentration (dhāraṇā)
• धारणा: Karta (कर्ता/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘called/namely’)

• चित्तस्य: of the mind
• चित्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• स्थानबन्धः: fixation in a place
• स्थानबन्धः: Vidhana (विधेय/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः: स्थाने बन्धः (binding/fixation in a place); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समासतः: in brief
• समासतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समासतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: briefly/in summary)

• स्थानम्: the place (object of fixation)
• स्थानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Vidhana (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• एकः: one (only)
• एकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of शिवः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Vidhana (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘न अन्यत्’ = ‘nothing else’ (predicate)

• दोषत्रयम्: the three faults
• दोषत्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता; in clause with यतः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः: त्रयो दोषाः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (collective)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (causal relative adverb: because/wherefrom)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śiva evaiko nānyat

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines dhāraṇā as single-pointed fixation and declares Śiva as the only flawless support for meditation, since worldly objects are marked by intrinsic limitations that obstruct liberation.

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

By stating that the true support is Śiva alone, it supports using the Śiva-liṅga or a chosen form of Saguna Śiva as a steady meditative basis—so the mind is anchored in the Pati (Lord) rather than in transient objects.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhāraṇā by fixing awareness on Śiva—commonly through japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and steady contemplation of the liṅga or Śiva’s form—rejecting distractions that arise from the threefold limitations.