Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

योगप्रकारनिर्णयः

Classification and Definition of Yoga

Devanagari script

मंत्राभ्यासवशेनैव मंत्रवाच्यार्थगोचरः । अव्याक्षेपा मनोवृत्तिर्मंत्रयोग उदाहृतः

Transliteration

maṃtrābhyāsavaśenaiva maṃtravācyārthagocaraḥ | avyākṣepā manovṛttirmaṃtrayoga udāhṛtaḥ

Translation

صرف منتر کے مسلسل ابھ्यास کی قوت سے ہی ذہن منتر کے بیان کردہ معنی میں داخل ہونے کے قابل ہوتا ہے؛ جب ذہنی حرکت بے تشتّت اور ثابت ہو، اسی کو ‘منتر یوگ’ کہا گیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• mantra-abhyāsa-vaśena: by the force of mantra-practice
• mantra-abhyāsa-vaśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘मन्त्राभ्यासस्य वशः’ → ‘वशेन’ (by the power/control of practice of mantra)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle: only/indeed)

• mantra-vācya-artha-gocaraḥ: having as its scope the meaning denoted by the mantra
• mantra-vācya-artha-gocaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + vācya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘मन्त्रेण वाच्यस्य अर्थस्य गोचरः’ = whose range is the meaning expressed by the mantra; विशेषण (qualifying manovṛttiḥ)

• a-vyākṣepā: undistracted
• a-vyākṣepā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyākṣepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-प्रत्यय; विशेषण (qualifying manovṛttiḥ): ‘without distraction’

• mano-vṛttiḥ: mental modification/attention
• mano-vṛttiḥ: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘मनसः वृत्तिः’

• mantra-yogaḥ: mantra-yoga
• mantra-yogaḥ: Pratipādya/Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘मन्त्रस्य योगः’

• udāhṛtaḥ: is declared
• udāhṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-√hṛ (धातु: हृ) → udāhṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे: ‘is declared/said’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines Mantra-yoga: persistent japa ripens the mind so it can dwell in the mantra’s meaning, and when the mind becomes non-distracted, that focused current is itself a yogic state leading toward Shiva-realization.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship (such as Linga-puja), mantra-japa is joined to contemplation of Shiva’s presence; the verse teaches that japa should mature into meaning-focused absorption, turning ritual sound into inward union with the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady mantra-abhyasa (regular japa) with undistracted attention—ideally with Shiva mantras like the Panchakshara—so the mind remains one-pointed on the mantra’s meaning rather than merely repeating sounds.