Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 100

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

श्रेष्ठानुष्ठानसिद्ध्यर्थं प्रयतध्वमतन्द्रिताः

Transliteration

śreṣṭhānuṣṭhānasiddhyarthaṃ prayatadhvamatandritāḥ

Translation

اعلیٰ انوشتھان کی سِدھی کے لیے مسلسل کوشش کرو؛ ہوشیار رہو اور غفلت کو چھوڑ دو۔

Word by Word

• śreṣṭhānuṣṭhānasiddhyartham: for the attainment of success in the best practice
• śreṣṭhānuṣṭhānasiddhyartham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + anuṣṭhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); purpose-expression: 'for the sake of (अर्थे)'

• prayatadhvam: strive; make effort
• prayatadhvam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yat (यत् धातु) with pra- (प्र)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्/Imperative), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• atandritāḥ: (you) unwearied, not lazy
• atandritāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-tandra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); vocative sense implied addressing listeners

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the “highest” Shaiva discipline (anuṣṭhāna) bears fruit only when pursued with steady, careful effort—alertness (atandritā) is essential for siddhi and for Shiva’s grace to become manifest.

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

Linga-worship is an anuṣṭhāna that requires regularity and attentiveness—daily pūjā, mantra-japa, and purity of intention. The verse emphasizes that Saguna Shiva worship succeeds through consistent, non-negligent practice rather than occasional enthusiasm.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain a steady daily discipline such as Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with focused attention, along with simple Linga-arcana; the key instruction is to avoid laziness and interruptions in one’s sādhanā.