Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

साधक-दीक्षा तथा मन्त्रसाधन

Puraścaraṇa and the Discipline of the Mantra-Sādhaka

Devanagari script

अथवा ऽहरहर्मंत्रं जपेदेकाग्रमानसः । अनश्नन्नेव साहस्रं विना मन्त्रस्य साधनम्

Transliteration

athavā 'haraharmaṃtraṃ japedekāgramānasaḥ | anaśnanneva sāhasraṃ vinā mantrasya sādhanam

Translation

یا پھر یکسوئیِ دل کے ساتھ روز بروز منتر کا جپ کرے؛ روزہ کی حالت میں بھی ہزار جپ پورے کرے—یہی منتر سادھنا کا وسیلہ ہے۔

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• अहर्-अहः-मन्त्रम्: the daily mantra
• अहर्-अहः-मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहर् (प्रातिपदिक) + अहः (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: अहरहः (= प्रतिदिनम्) + मन्त्रम्

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• एकाग्र-मानसः: one whose mind is one-pointed
• एकाग्र-मानसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकाग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: एकाग्रं मानसं यस्य सः

• अनश्नन्: not eating (fasting)
• अनश्नन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश्/अश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक: न अश्नन् (not eating)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• साहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• साहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (a thousand times)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय/पूर्वपद (preposition), ‘without’; governs instrumental/accusative (usage varies)

• मन्त्रस्य: of the mantra
• मन्त्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• साधनम्: accomplishment/means of practice
• साधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Not site-specific; emphasizes mantra-sādhana as a portable tīrtha—daily japa with ekāgratā and tapas (fasting) as the direct means to mantra-siddhi.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-sādhanā becomes effective primarily through ekāgratā (one-pointed attention) and steady daily repetition; inner discipline is presented as the direct path to grace and purification in a Shaiva framework.

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

Even when Saguna worship (like Linga-pūjā) is practiced, the verse emphasizes that japa is a core inner offering; concentrated repetition aligns the devotee’s mind with Shiva, the Pati, making external worship fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily mantra japa with a focused mind, optionally accompanied by fasting, completing one thousand repetitions as a practical rule for mantra accomplishment (mantra-siddhi).