Shloka 77

Umāyāḥ Kriyāyoga-Rahasya

The Esoteric Teaching on Umā’s Kriyāyoga

Devanagari script

व्रतराजमिमं कृत्वा समाराध्य महेश्वरीम् । संसारबन्धनान्मुक्तः समाधिर्मुक्तिभागभूत्

Transliteration

vratarājamimaṃ kṛtvā samārādhya maheśvarīm | saṃsārabandhanānmuktaḥ samādhirmuktibhāgabhūt

Translation

Sau khi thực hành “vua của các đại nguyện” này và chí thành thờ phụng Maheshvarī, người ấy được giải thoát khỏi xiềng xích luân hồi; định (samādhi) chín muồi thành phần chân thật của giải thoát (mukti), nhờ ân điển của Śiva.

Word by Word

• व्रतराजम्: the king of vows
• व्रतराजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘व्रतानां राजा’ (king among vows); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (of व्रतराजम्)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-Viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• समाराध्य: having worshipped
• समाराध्य: Kriya-Viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive) (lyap-form) ‘having duly worshipped/propitiated’

• महेश्वरीम्: Maheśvarī
• महेश्वरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• संसारबन्धनात्: from the bondage of saṃsāra
• संसारबन्धनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘संसारस्य बन्धनम्’; पञ्चमी एकवचन (Ablative)

• मुक्तः: freed
• मुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘freed’

• समाधिः: Samādhi
• समाधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• मुक्तिभाक्: partaker of liberation
• मुक्तिभाक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + भाज्/भज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘मुक्तेः भाक्’ (partaker of liberation); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (of समाधिः)

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, within the Uma Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General soteriological claim: the ‘vratarāja’ plus proper worship of Maheshvarī breaks saṃsāra-bandhana and ripens samādhi into mukti—an explicit move from worldly boons to liberation.

Significance: Positions Navarātra/Devī-ārādhana within a Śaiva telos: bondage (pāśa) is cut and the paśu becomes fit for Śiva’s grace (anugraha), culminating in mukti.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It declares that disciplined observance (vrata) united with sincere devotion to Maheshvarī breaks saṃsāric bondage, and that true samādhi becomes fruitful as liberation through divine grace—central to a Shaiva Siddhanta understanding of Pati (Lord) freeing the bound soul (paśu) from pāśa (bondage).

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

Worship of Maheshvarī in the Shiva Purana is inseparable from devotion to Shiva as the Supreme (Saguna for worship, Nirguna as the final truth). The verse emphasizes that ritual devotion and inner absorption work together, leading the devotee from worshipful practice toward liberating realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It recommends performing the prescribed ‘vrata-raja’ (chief vow/observance) with proper worship (ārādhana) of Maheshvarī, and cultivating samādhi—steady meditative absorption—so the practice culminates in freedom from worldly bondage.