Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

कृष्ण उवाच । भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि शिवेन परिभाषितम् । वेदसारे शिवज्ञानं स्वाश्रितानां विमुक्तये

Transliteration

kṛṣṇa uvāca | bhagavañchrotumicchāmi śivena paribhāṣitam | vedasāre śivajñānaṃ svāśritānāṃ vimuktaye

Translation

พระกฤษณะตรัสว่า “ข้าแต่ท่านผู้ควรบูชา ข้าปรารถนาจะสดับศิวญาณซึ่งพระศิวะทรงแสดงด้วยพระองค์เอง อันเป็นแก่นแห่งพระเวท และยังความหลุดพ้นแก่ผู้พึ่งพิงพระองค์”

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय/कृदन्त (Infinitive/तुमुन्), अर्थः—"to hear"

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• परिभाषितम्: explained
• परिभाषितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-भाष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—"spoken/explained"

• वेदसारे: in the essence of the Vedas
• वेदसारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-सार (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + सार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—"essence of the Veda(s)"

• शिवज्ञानम्: knowledge of Śiva
• शिवज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + ज्ञान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—"knowledge of Śiva"

• स्वाश्रितानाम्: of those who have taken refuge (in him)
• स्वाश्रितानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-आश्रित (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + आश्रित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वं आश्रिताः)

• विमुक्तये: for liberation
• विमुक्तये: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

Speaker

Krishna

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva-jñāna as ‘veda-sāra’ and mokṣa-giving for those who take refuge—positioning śravaṇa (hearing) as a pilgrimage of doctrine rather than place.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krishna

FAQs

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

This verse establishes Śiva-jñāna as the Vedic essence and declares that sincere refuge in Śiva (śaraṇāgati) culminates in liberation, aligning devotion with right knowledge.

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

By calling Śiva-jñāna the heart of the Vedas and a means to mokṣa, the verse supports approaching Śiva through accessible forms—such as Liṅga worship—while aiming at the highest realization of Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa (devout listening) of Śiva’s teachings with refuge in Him; in Purāṇic Shaiva practice this is commonly supported by Liṅga-pūjā and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as aids toward Śiva-jñāna.