Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma

Fire and Nectar

Devanagari script

शिवाग्निना तनुं दग्ध्वा शक्तिसौम्या मृतेन यः । प्लावयेद्योगमार्गेण सो ऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते

Transliteration

śivāgninā tanuṃ dagdhvā śaktisaumyā mṛtena yaḥ | plāvayedyogamārgeṇa so 'mṛtatvāya kalpate

Translation

Ang nagsusunog sa pagkakapit sa katawan sa apoy ni Śiva, at pagkatapos—sa landas ng yoga—pinupuno ito ng banayad na kapangyarihan ni Śakti na tulad ng amṛta, ay nagiging karapat-dapat sa kawalang-kamatayan, ang mokṣa.

Word by Word

• शिव-अग्निना: by the Śiva-fire
• शिव-अग्निना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: शिव एव अग्निः = the fire that is Śiva

• तनुम्: the body
• तनुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दग्ध्वा: having burnt
• दग्ध्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive): having burnt

• शक्ति-सौम्या: by the gentle Śakti
• शक्ति-सौम्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सौम्या शक्ति = the gentle/nectar-like power (Śakti)

• मृतेन: by/with the dead (state)
• मृतेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from मृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भावे: by/with the ‘dead’ (state) i.e., death-like condition

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• प्लावयेत्: should immerse/flood
• प्लावयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लु (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/सम्भावना-विधि), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative): should cause to be flooded/immersed

• योग-मार्गेण: by the path of yoga
• योग-मार्गेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: योगस्य मार्गः = by the path of yoga

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; correlative to यः

• अमृतत्वाय: for immortality
• अमृतत्वाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृतत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• कल्पते: is fit / becomes capable
• कल्पते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches a Shaiva yogic method: first purify ego-bound embodiment in the “fire of Śiva” (knowledge and inner tapas), then stabilize the purified being in Śakti’s cooling, nectar-like grace—this union qualifies one for amṛtatva, i.e., mokṣa.

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

Saguna worship (such as Liṅga-pūjā with mantra and devotion) supports inner purification; the verse points to its yogic fruition—Śiva as the transforming fire (Pati) and Śakti as the grace that pervades and completes realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative internalization of Śiva (japa of the Pañcākṣarī, contemplation of Śiva as inner fire) followed by calming absorption in Śakti’s “amṛta” (steady prāṇa, dhyāna, and grace-centered surrender), rather than an external rite alone.