Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

स्वभाववाचकान् सर्वान् वाच्यांश्च परिणामयन् । गुणांश्च भोग्यभोक्तृत्वे तद्विश्वमधितिष्ठति

Transliteration

svabhāvavācakān sarvān vācyāṃśca pariṇāmayan | guṇāṃśca bhogyabhoktṛtve tadviśvamadhitiṣṭhati

Translation

جو فطرت کو ظاہر کرنے والی تمام حقیقتوں اور اُن کے مدلول اشیا کو بدلتا ہے، اور گُنوں کو ‘بھوجیہ’ اور ‘بھوکْتا’ کی حالتوں میں ڈھالتا ہے—وہی پرمیشور اس سارے جگت پر ادھیشٹھان کر کے اسے سنبھالے رکھتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• svabhāva-vācakān: (those) denoting inherent nature
• svabhāva-vācakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + vācaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषण—‘वाचक’ (denoting) of ‘स्वभाव’ (nature)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective)

• vācyān: expressible/denotable (ones)
• vācyān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vācya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; विशेषण—‘वाच्य’ (to be expressed/denoted)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• pariṇāmayan: transforming
• pariṇāmayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-ṇam (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; परस्मैपदी; ‘transforming’

• guṇān: the qualities (guṇas)
• guṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• bhogya-bhoktṛtve: in the state of enjoyer/enjoyment-relation
• bhogya-bhoktṛtve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhogya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhoktṛtva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘भोग्यस्य भोक्तृत्वम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (state of being enjoyer with respect to the enjoyable)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• viśvam: universe
• viśvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• adhitiṣṭhati: presides over / stands over / governs
• adhitiṣṭhati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-sthā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who governs manifestation by converting the guṇas into the duality of experiencer (bhoktā) and experienced (bhogya), showing that worldly experience arises under His lordship and is ultimately transcended by knowing Him.

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

The Liṅga symbolizes Shiva as the adhishṭhātṛ (inner governor) of all tattvas; worship of Saguna Shiva trains the mind to recognize that both the ‘I who experiences’ and the ‘world experienced’ function within His cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) on Shiva as the witness beyond bhoktā and bhogya; apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder that all guṇic experience is transient and to be offered back to Shiva.