Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

तपश्च ववृधे देव्यास्तीव्रं तीव्रतरात्मकम् । देवाश्च दैत्यनिर्बन्धाद्ब्रह्माणं शरणं गताः

Transliteration

tapaśca vavṛdhe devyāstīvraṃ tīvratarātmakam | devāśca daityanirbandhādbrahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

Khổ hạnh (tapas) của Nữ Thần ngày càng tăng trưởng—mãnh liệt, rồi lại càng mãnh liệt hơn nữa. Còn chư Thiên, bị bọn Daitya áp bức nặng nề, đã đến nương tựa nơi Phạm Thiên (Brahmā).

Word by Word

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya-nipāta conjunction

• vavṛdhe: increased, grew
• vavṛdhe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛdh (वृध्)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष) Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• devyāḥ: of the Goddess
• devyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) Ekavacana; genitive

• tīvram: intense
• tīvram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण) / Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/ Dvitīyā Ekavacana; used adverbially/intensively with tapas

• tīvra-tara-ātmakam: having the nature of even greater intensity
• tīvra-tara-ātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (प्रत्यय: तर) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘tīvra-taratva-ātmaka’; Napumsaka, Prathamā/ Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying tapas

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya-nipāta conjunction

• daitya-nirbandhāt: from the coercion/pressure of the demons
• daitya-nirbandhāt: Apādāna (अपादान) / Hetu (cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + nirbandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘daityānāṃ nirbandhaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (पञ्चमी) Ekavacana; ablative of cause/source

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (द्वितीया) Ekavacana

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म) (gati-artha construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; used as predicate-object with gam ‘to take as refuge’

• gatāḥ: went, resorted
• gatāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम्) (कृदन्त: क्त, PPP)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त) used as finite past sense; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; agrees with devāḥ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Devas
• Daityas
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights tapas as a transformative spiritual force: the Goddess intensifies her austerity, while the Devas model śaraṇāgati (taking refuge). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, grace arises when effort (tapas) and surrender converge, loosening the bonds (pāśa) that sustain disorder.

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

Though the Linga is not named here, the movement is toward divine refuge and restoration of cosmic balance—central aims of Saguna Shiva worship. In the Purana’s narrative logic, such crises culminate in turning toward the Supreme Lord’s manifest help, often through prescribed worship and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to disciplined tapas and conscious refuge-taking: fasting/vrata, japa (especially Panchakshara—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and steady meditation with humility, seeking protection and right order rather than mere power.