Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 88

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

घृताक्तो यश्चरेदेतद्व्रतं व्रतपरायणः । द्वित्रैकदिवसं वापि स च कश्चन नैष्ठिकः

Transliteration

ghṛtākto yaścaredetadvrataṃ vrataparāyaṇaḥ | dvitraikadivasaṃ vāpi sa ca kaścana naiṣṭhikaḥ

Translation

Người được xức bơ sữa (ghee) mà hành trì lời nguyện này, một lòng nương tựa nơi giới nguyện—dù chỉ hai ngày, ba ngày, hay một ngày—cũng trở thành bậc naiṣṭhika chân thật, kiên quyết giữ pháp hạnh.

Word by Word

• ghṛta-āktaḥ: smeared with ghee
• ghṛta-āktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + āpta/akta (अञ्ज्/अक्त कृदन्त ‘अक्त’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (करण/साधन: ‘घृतेन अक्तः’); क्त-भूतकृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• caret: should perform/practice
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (चर् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vrata-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to the vow
• vrata-parāyaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अधिकरण/निष्ठा: ‘व्रते परायणः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• dvi-tri-eka-divasam: for two/three/one day(s)
• dvi-tri-eka-divasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (संख्या) + tri (संख्या) + eka (संख्या) + divasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वक-कालपरिमाण); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘द्विदिवसं/त्रिदिवसं/एकदिवसं’ इत्यर्थे समाहार

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kaścana: someone
• kaścana: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaścana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम ‘कश्चन’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• naiṣṭhikaḥ: a naiṣṭhika (steadfast one)
• naiṣṭhikaḥ: Pratijñā/Predicate-nominative (प्रत्यय/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naiṣṭhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संज्ञार्थ (as a noun: a steadfast practitioner)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights a concrete vrata-marker (ghṛtākta—anointed with ghee) and short duration (1–3 days) still yielding naiṣṭhika status, reflecting Purāṇic ‘condensed merit’ logic tied to sincerity and intensity.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that in Shaiva dharma, sincere resolve and disciplined observance matter more than duration—even a short vow done with steadiness purifies the paśu (individual soul) and turns one toward Shiva as Pati (the Lord).

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship through vrata: bodily and mental discipline offered to Shiva (often centered on Linga-puja) becomes a vehicle for grace, making the practitioner ‘naiṣṭhika’—firm in worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It indicates a vrata performed with bodily purity and consecration (here, being anointed with ghee), emphasizing steadfastness; in practice this commonly accompanies Shiva-vratas such as fasting, japa of the Panchakshara, and focused worship.