Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

अथ भर्तृविहीनाया वक्ष्ये धर्मं सनातनम् । व्रतं दानं तपः शौचं भूशय्यानक्तभोजनम्

Transliteration

atha bhartṛvihīnāyā vakṣye dharmaṃ sanātanam | vrataṃ dānaṃ tapaḥ śaucaṃ bhūśayyānaktabhojanam

Translation

اب میں شوہر سے محروم عورت کے لیے سناتن دھرم بیان کرتا ہوں—ورت، دان، تپسیا، طہارت، زمین پر سونا اور رات کو ایک بار کھانا؛ ان سے دل ثابت قدم ہو کر موکش دینے والے شیو پر بھگوان کی طرف مائل ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अथ-निपात), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• भर्तृ-विहीनायाः: of a husbandless (woman)
• भर्तृ-विहीनायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + vihīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘devoid of husband’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• धर्मम्: dharma/duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘धर्मम्’

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• शौचम्: purity/cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• भू-शय्या: sleeping on the ground
• भू-शय्या: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘sleeping on the ground’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• अनक्त-भोजनम्: night-meal (anakta-bhojana)
• अनक्त-भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anakta (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘eating at night/after anointing? (contextually: night-meal)’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a Śaiva-aligned path of restraint and inner purification—vows, charity, austerity, and cleanliness—so grief and worldly dependence are transformed into steadiness and devotion, making the mind fit for Śiva-bhakti and liberation-oriented living.

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

These disciplines function as preparatory sādhana for Saguna Śiva worship: purity (śauca) supports ritual correctness, vows and tapas intensify devotion, and a regulated diet and simple living aid concentration during Liṅga-pūjā and recitation of Śiva’s names.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A vrata-based lifestyle: maintain śauca, practice dāna, adopt tapas such as sleeping on the ground and a one-meal/nightly-meal discipline; these can be paired with Śiva japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular Liṅga-pūjā where appropriate.