Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 37

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

अलं विलंबनेनात्र त्वं क्षणेन स्थिरा भव । शक्तिर्विसृज्यमाना ऽद्य तयोर्मृत्युर्भविष्यति

Transliteration

alaṃ vilaṃbanenātra tvaṃ kṣaṇena sthirā bhava | śaktirvisṛjyamānā 'dya tayormṛtyurbhaviṣyati

Translation

اب دیر نہ کرو، اسی لمحے ثابت قدم ہو جاؤ۔ آج جو طاقت چھوڑی جا رہی ہے وہ ان دونوں کی موت کا سبب بنے گی۔

Word by Word

• अलम्: enough (of)
• अलम्: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Prohibitive sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); पर्याप्त्यर्थे/निषेधार्थे (enough/stop)

• विलम्बनेन: with delay; by delaying
• विलम्बनेन: Karana (करण/Instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलम्बन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थे (2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षणेन: in a moment; within a moment
• क्षणेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; काल-करणे (instrument of time)

• स्थिरा: steady, firm
• स्थिरा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied feminine addressee)

• भव: become / be
• भव: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: the spear/weapon (śakti)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विसृज्यमाना: being released, being hurled
• विसृज्यमाना: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle)

• अद्य: today / now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तयोः: of the two (of them)
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will occur / will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya-saṃhitā account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes sthairya (inner steadiness) as a Shaiva discipline: when divine power (Śakti) moves, the wise do not waver, because outcomes unfold according to higher law (Pati’s governance over events).

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

Śakti here is not mere force but the Lord’s operative power; Linga/Saguna Shiva worship trains the devotee to remain centered in Shiva-consciousness while Shakti manifests as protection or destruction within the story-world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steadiness through japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with controlled breath, and maintain Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa as reminders to stay unmoved when intense emotions or crises arise.