Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15
श्रद्धामाहात्म्यं तथा देवीप्रश्नः
The Greatness of Śraddhā and Devī’s Question to Śiva
ईश्वर उवाच । न कर्मणा न तपसा न जपैर्नासनादिभिः । न ज्ञानेन न चान्येन वश्यो ऽहं श्रद्धया विना । श्रद्धा मय्यस्ति चेत्पुंसां येन केनापि हेतुना । वश्यः स्पृश्यश्च दृश्यश्च पूज्यस्संभाष्य एव च
īśvara uvāca | na karmaṇā na tapasā na japairnāsanādibhiḥ | na jñānena na cānyena vaśyo 'haṃ śraddhayā vinā | śraddhā mayyasti cetpuṃsāṃ yena kenāpi hetunā | vaśyaḥ spṛśyaśca dṛśyaśca pūjyassaṃbhāṣya eva ca
Sinabi ng Panginoon: “Hindi sa pamamagitan ng ritwal na aksyon, hindi sa pagpapakasakit, hindi sa pag-uulit ng mantra, o sa mga postura at katulad nito; hindi sa pamamagitan ng kaalaman lamang, o sa anumang bagay—ako ay makakamtan nang walang pananampalataya. Ngunit kung ang mga tao ay may pananampalataya sa Akin, sa anumang dahilan, kung gayon ako ay magiging malapit sa kanila—maaaring lapitan, hawakan, makita, sambahin, at maging makausap.”
Lord Shiva (Ishvara)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Establishes śraddhā/bhakti as the indispensable upāya for Śiva’s accessibility; frames darśana and sānnidhya as grace rather than mechanical ritual attainment.
FAQs
It teaches that Shiva is not “won” by external acts alone—karma, tapas, japa, or yogic techniques—unless they are rooted in śraddhā (faithful devotion). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, grace and inner receptivity (bhakti/śraddhā) make the Lord experientially present.
The verse supports Saguna upāsanā: when faith is present, Shiva becomes dṛśya (seen) and pūjya (worshipped). Linga worship is effective not merely as ritual performance but as devotion-filled approach that invites Shiva’s self-revelation.
It prioritizes cultivating śraddhā while performing practices like japa and worship. A practical takeaway is to do Shiva-pūjā/Linga-archana or Panchakshara japa with sincere devotion rather than treating them as mechanical techniques.