Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

वैष्णवं तत्समाख्यातं तस्यैव भुवनस्थितिः । ब्रह्मणा तत्पदं सर्वं वक्तुमन्यैर्न शक्यते

Transliteration

vaiṣṇavaṃ tatsamākhyātaṃ tasyaiva bhuvanasthitiḥ | brahmaṇā tatpadaṃ sarvaṃ vaktumanyairna śakyate

Translation

สิ่งนั้นถูกขนานนามว่า ‘ไวษณวะ’; โลกทั้งปวงดำรงอยู่ในสิ่งนั้นเท่านั้น สภาวะนั้นพรหมาเท่านั้นที่อธิบายได้ครบถ้วน ส่วนผู้อื่นไม่อาจกล่าวได้.

Word by Word

• वैष्णवम्: the Vaiṣṇava (state)
• वैष्णवम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘Vaiṣṇava (state/realm)’

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; demonstrative ‘that’ (correlative)

• समाख्यातम्: is called/declared
• समाख्यातम्: क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाख्यात (कृदन्त; सम्+आ+√ख्या ‘to name/declare’ (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate ‘is called/declared’

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive ‘of it/of him’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• भुवन: world
• भुवन: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग ‘world’

• स्थितिः: the sustenance/existence
• स्थितिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भुवन-स्थिति = ‘maintenance/existence of the worlds’

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental ‘by Brahmā/Brahman’ (form used for Brahmā in many texts)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग ‘that’

• पदम्: that state/position
• पदम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: तत्-पद = ‘that state/position’

• सर्वम्: entire/fully
• सर्वम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective to तत्पदम् ‘entirely/wholly’

• वक्तुम्: to describe
• वक्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/Infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to speak/describe’

• अन्यैः: by others
• अन्यैः: करण (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental ‘by others’

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

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense) ‘is possible/can be’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is praised as the abiding-place of the worlds where liberation is granted; Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha is revered as the Lord in whom the universe ‘stands’ (sthiti) and by whose knowledge even Brahmā speaks of the highest state only by grace.

Significance: Darśana and worship are held to confer purification and support for mokṣa; Kāśī is famed for the ‘tāraka’ liberation-current associated with Śiva.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that the supreme “state/abode” sustaining all worlds is ultimately beyond ordinary speech; only the highest cosmic intelligence (Brahmā) can attempt a complete description, pointing to a transcendent reality approached through devotion and inner realization.

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

While the verse speaks of an indescribable supreme padam, Shaiva Siddhanta frames Saguna worship—especially the Shiva-Linga—as a compassionate, accessible support (ālambana) for meditation that leads the devotee toward that transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the “padam” beyond words through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady dhyāna on the Linga, using bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrāksha as aids to focus and purity.