Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution

Devanagari script

शैवं तत्परमं धाम यत्प्राप्यं षड्भिरध्वभिः । व्यापिका ऽव्यापिका शक्तिः पञ्चतत्त्वविशोधनात्

Transliteration

śaivaṃ tatparamaṃ dhāma yatprāpyaṃ ṣaḍbhiradhvabhiḥ | vyāpikā 'vyāpikā śaktiḥ pañcatattvaviśodhanāt

Translation

وہی شَیو تتّو پرم دھام ہے جو چھ اَدھون کے ذریعے حاصل ہوتا ہے۔ پانچ تتّوؤں کی تطہیر سے شکتی ہمہ گیر بھی اور وُسعت سے ماورا، اَویَاپِنی بھی جانی جاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• śaivam: Śaiva; belonging to Śiva
• śaivam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies dhāma

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; deictic qualifier of dhāma

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; qualifies dhāma

• dhāma: abode/state
• dhāma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; relative pronoun referring to dhāma

• prāpyam: attainable/to be attained
• prāpyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-āp (आप्/धातु) → prāpya (कृदन्त, यत्/णीय)
• Form: Gerundive (भाव्य/णीयत्-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘to be attained’

• ṣaḍbhiḥ: by six
• ṣaḍbhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral used with adhvabhiḥ

• adhvabhiḥ: by the paths/courses
• adhvabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vyāpikā: all-pervading
• vyāpikā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāpikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies śaktiḥ

• avyāpikā: non-all-pervading
• avyāpikā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyāpikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies śaktiḥ

• śaktiḥ: Power (Śakti)
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pañca-tattva-viśodhanāt: from/because of the purification of the five tattvas
• pañca-tattva-viśodhanāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + viśodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: pañcatattvasya viśodhanāt

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: soteriological ascent through ṣaḍadhvā culminating in Śaiva dhāma

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It points to the Shaiva Siddhanta path where liberation is reaching the supreme Shaiva state by progressing through structured spiritual disciplines (the six adhvans) and purifying one’s embodied principles (tattvas) so consciousness can recognize Śiva as the final refuge.

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

The sixfold path and tattva-purification are often practiced with Saguna supports—Linga worship, mantra, and ritual—so the seeker’s awareness becomes fit to realize the supreme Shaiva Dhāma, which ultimately transcends form while being approached through form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Tattva-śuddhi: a meditative purification of the body-mind principles, commonly integrated with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), worship of the Linga, and inner contemplation of Śakti as both immanent and transcendent.