Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

अघोरास्त्रं च शैवानां रक्षाहेतुरनुत्तमम् । तच्च तत्प्रभवं मत्वा तत्परो भव नान्यथा

Transliteration

aghorāstraṃ ca śaivānāṃ rakṣāheturanuttamam | tacca tatprabhavaṃ matvā tatparo bhava nānyathā

Translation

اَغوراستر شیو بھکتوں کے لیے حفاظت کا بے مثال سبب ہے۔ اسے اسی پرم شِو سے پیدا شدہ اور اسی کا ہی تعلق جان کر، اسی کے ہی پرستار و پرایَن رہو— اس کے سوا نہیں۔

Word by Word

• अघोर-अस्त्रम्: the Aghora weapon/mantra-weapon
• अघोर-अस्त्रम्: कर्ता/कर्म (प्रसङ्गानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘अघोरं अस्त्रम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शैवानाम्: of the Śaivas (devotees of Śiva)
• शैवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• रक्षा-हेतुः: the cause/means of protection
• रक्षा-हेतुः: विधेय (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘रक्षायाः हेतुḥ’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: विशेषण (अस्त्रस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; superlative sense ‘unsurpassed’

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (मत्वा-सम्बद्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तत्-प्रभवम्: arising from that, originating from that
• तत्-प्रभवम्: विशेषण (तत्-सम्बद्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-भाव: ‘तस्मात्/तस्य प्रभवः’ = arising from that); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• मत्वा: having considered/knowing
• मत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मत्वा (कृदन्त; √मन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• तत्-परः: devoted to that
• तत्-परः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (सम्बोधन-लक्षित)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तस्मिन् परः’ = devoted to that); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भव: be
• भव: क्रिया (आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s protective teaching within the Vāyavīya discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva’s protective power (rakṣā) as arising from the Supreme; encourages exclusive śaraṇāgati to Śiva as the true refuge.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Aghora (aspect of Shiva)

FAQs

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

It teaches that true protection for a Śaiva is not merely external but arises from aligning oneself with Śiva alone—recognizing all power as Śiva-born and becoming single-pointed (tat-para) in devotion and refuge.

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

The ‘Aghora’ power is a Saguna expression of Śiva’s grace that protects the devotee; Linga-worship embodies the same truth—approaching the Supreme through a sacred form, then resting the mind in Śiva as the ultimate source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a protection-oriented Śaiva sādhanā: remembrance of Śiva (japa such as the Pañcākṣarī), mental surrender to Śiva as the sole refuge (tat-para-bhāva), and disciplined purity consistent with Śaiva observances.