Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

मुनय ऊचुः । कैषा प्रकृतिरित्युक्ता क एष पुरुषो मतः । अनयोः केन सम्बन्धः कोयं प्रेरक ईश्वरः

Transliteration

munaya ūcuḥ | kaiṣā prakṛtirityuktā ka eṣa puruṣo mataḥ | anayoḥ kena sambandhaḥ koyaṃ preraka īśvaraḥ

Translation

Các bậc hiền triết thưa rằng: “Điều gì thật sự được gọi là Prakṛti? Và ai được xem là Puruṣa? Mối liên hệ giữa hai điều ấy được thiết lập bởi gì? Và ai là Đấng Tối Chủ (Īśvara) thúc đẩy muôn sự?”

Word by Word

• munayaḥ: the sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kā: what? (which?)
• kā: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम)

• eṣā: this
• eṣā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun (निर्देशक सर्वनाम)

• prakṛtiḥ: Prakṛti / nature
• prakṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरणचिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• uktā: is said / has been stated
• uktā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त/क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaḥ: who? / what?
• kaḥ: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun (निर्देशक सर्वनाम)

• puruṣaḥ: Puruṣa / person (spirit)
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mataḥ: is considered / is held to be
• mataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle used predicatively (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• anayoḥ: of these two
• anayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); pronoun referring to two (द्वय-संबन्ध)

• kena: by what? / by whom?
• kena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun

• sambandhaḥ: relation / connection
• sambandhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sambandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• prerakaḥ: impeller / instigator
• prerakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-√īr/√ir (धातु) + ṇvul (ण्वुल्) → preraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agent noun (कर्तृवाचक)

• īśvaraḥ: Lord / God
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sages (Munis) at Naimisharanya

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the core Shaiva inquiry into bondage and liberation: what matter (Prakṛti) is, what the individual conscious principle (Puruṣa/paśu) is, and how the Supreme Lord (Īśvara/Pati—Shiva) governs their relationship to grant moksha.

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

By asking who the “impelling Lord” is, the verse points to Shiva as the supreme governor beyond Prakṛti and Puruṣa; Linga worship is a Saguna support for realizing that same transcendent Pati who directs creation and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse suggests tattva-vicāra (contemplation of principles) leading to devotion to Īśvara; in Shaiva practice this is commonly supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditation on Shiva as the inner Preraka (impeller).