Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

जनित्रीमनुशेते ऽन्योजुषमाणस्स्वरूपिणीम् । तामेवाजामजो ऽन्यस्तु भक्तभोगा जहाति च

Transliteration

janitrīmanuśete 'nyojuṣamāṇassvarūpiṇīm | tāmevājāmajo 'nyastu bhaktabhogā jahāti ca

Translation

ایک جیَو ماں پرکرتی کے ساتھ لگا رہتا ہے، اُسی کو اپنا ہی سوروپ سمجھ کر بھوگ کرتا ہے؛ مگر دوسرا اَج—پرمیشر—اسی پرکرتی کے ساتھ ہوتے ہوئے بھی بھوگوں کو چھوڑ دیتا ہے اور بھکتی میں قائم رہتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• जनित्रीम्: the mother/progenitress
• जनित्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अनुशेते: lies along/consorts with
• अनुशेते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जुषमाणः: enjoying/associating with
• जुषमाणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जुष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी-भाव

• स्वरूपिणीम्: having (that) form/nature
• स्वरूपिणीम्: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अजाम्: Ajā
• अजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अजः: Ajah / the unborn one
• अजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (particle)

• भक्तभोगात्: from enjoyment/experience
• भक्तभोगात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त-भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; अपादानार्थ (ablative)

• जहाति: abandons
• जहाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Prakriti
• Jiva
• Pati

FAQs

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

It contrasts the bound soul (paśu) that clings to Prakṛti for pleasure with the unborn Lord (Pati) who is never compelled by pleasure and points the seeker toward devotion and detachment as the route to liberation.

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

Linga/Saguna Śiva worship trains the mind to shift from prakṛti-centered enjoyment to Pati-centered bhakti—seeing Śiva as the inner Lord beyond guṇas, while using form and symbol to steady devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt bhakti with vairāgya: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), meditation on Śiva as Pati distinct from body-mind (Prakṛti), and simple disciplines like bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa as reminders to renounce mere enjoyment.