Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

अन्तराय-उपसर्ग-विवेचनम् / Analysis of Yogic Obstacles (Antarāyas) and Upasargas

Devanagari script

गुरुत्वञ्च लघुत्वञ्च पाणावनिलधारणम् । अंगुल्यग्रनिपाताद्यैर्भूमेरपि च कम्पनम्

Transliteration

gurutvañca laghutvañca pāṇāvaniladhāraṇam | aṃgulyagranipātādyairbhūmerapi ca kampanam

Translation

พระองค์ทรงสำแดงความหนักและความเบาได้ และทรงสามารถทรงไว้พร้อมควบคุมลมปราณ (ปราณวายุ) ไว้ในฝ่ามือได้ เพียงปลายนิ้วตกกระทบหรือแตะต้องเล็กน้อย แม้แผ่นดินก็สั่นสะเทือน

Word by Word

• गुरुत्वम्: heaviness
• गुरुत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुत्व (प्रातिपदिक; गुरु + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• लघुत्वम्: lightness
• लघुत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघुत्व (प्रातिपदिक; लघु + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पाणौ: in the hand
• पाणौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• अनिलधारणम्: holding/retaining the wind (breath)
• अनिलधारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल-धारण (प्रातिपदिक; अनिल + धारण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("अनिलस्य धारणम्")

• अङ्गुल्यग्रनिपाताद्यैः: by (acts) such as striking with the fingertip
• अङ्गुल्यग्रनिपाताद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुलि-अग्र-निपात-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental); समासः—तत्पुरुष ("अङ्गुल्यग्रस्य निपातः"), 'आदि' = etc.; समाहार-बहुवचन प्रयोग

• भूमेः: of the earth
• भूमेः: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्भावना/अपि-समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कम्पनम्: shaking/trembling
• कम्पनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्पन (प्रातिपदिक; √कम्प् (धातु) + अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भाववाचक

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No Jyotirliṅga setting; continues the siddhi/aiśvarya list: heaviness/lightness (garimā/laghimā), control of wind/prāṇa, and earth-trembling by a fingertip—powers that can bind through pride if not subordinated to devotion and grace.

Significance: Ethical-spiritual implication: mastery over prāṇa and bhūtas should culminate in humility and Śiva-bhakti; otherwise it reinforces pāśa via tirodhāna (concealment).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Earth-trembling motif faintly echoes cosmic instability preceding dissolution, though here presented as localized power.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva as the supreme Lord (Pati) from whom yogic capacities arise—such as heaviness/lightness and mastery over prāṇa—implying that all powers are subordinate to his grace and ultimately meant to turn the seeker toward liberation rather than display.

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

In Linga/Saguna worship, the devotee approaches Shiva as the personal Lord who governs the universe and the inner life-force; the verse supports the idea that the same Shiva worshipped outwardly as the Linga is inwardly present as the controller of prāṇa and the source of all cosmic stability and movement.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prāṇāyāma and dhyāna performed with Shiva-mantra (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), focusing on steadying the breath and offering the life-wind to Shiva, rather than seeking siddhis for their own sake.