Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

श्रद्धामाहात्म्यं तथा देवीप्रश्नः

The Greatness of Śraddhā and Devī’s Question to Śiva

Devanagari script

साध्या तस्मान्मयि शद्धा मां वशीकर्तुमिच्छता । श्रद्धा हेतुस्स्वधर्मस्य रक्षणं वर्णिनामिह । स्ववर्णाश्रमधर्मेण वर्तते यस्तु मानवः । तस्यैव भवति श्रद्धा मयि नान्यस्य कस्यचित्

Transliteration

sādhyā tasmānmayi śaddhā māṃ vaśīkartumicchatā | śraddhā hetussvadharmasya rakṣaṇaṃ varṇināmiha | svavarṇāśramadharmeṇa vartate yastu mānavaḥ | tasyaiva bhavati śraddhā mayi nānyasya kasyacit

Translation

Vì vậy, ai muốn có được Ta thì phải nuôi dưỡng lòng tin nơi Ta. Lòng tin là căn nguyên để bảo vệ giáo pháp (dharma) của chính mình cho những người thuộc các giai cấp (varna) trong thế gian này. Nhưng chỉ ở người nào sống đúng với bổn phận của giai cấp và giai đoạn cuộc đời (varna và ashrama) của mình, thì lòng tin nơi Ta mới nảy nở, không ở một ai khác.

Word by Word

• sādhyā: to be accomplished/required
• sādhyā: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (मुख्यविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhya (प्रातिपदिक; from √sādh धातु, gerundive)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); gerundive (यत्) ‘to be accomplished/necessary’

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayi: in me
• mayi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• śraddhā: faith
• śraddhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vaśī-kartum: to bring under control
• vaśī-kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vaśī (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्) from √कृ with preverb/compound ‘vaśī-’ meaning ‘to make (someone) controllable’; indeclinable verbal form

• icchatā: by (one) wishing
• icchatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter; ‘by one who desires’

• śraddhā: faith
• śraddhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• hetuḥ: cause
• hetuḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/प्रेडिकेट)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-dharmasya: of one’s own duty
• sva-dharmasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘of one’s own dharma’

• rakṣaṇam: protection
• rakṣaṇam: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/प्रेडिकेट)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• varṇinām: of the varṇins (people of the social orders)
• varṇinām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक)

• sva-varṇa-āśrama-dharmeṇa: by one’s varṇa-āśrama duty
• sva-varṇa-āśrama-dharmeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); determinative compound ‘by the dharma of one’s own varṇa and āśrama’

• vartate: conducts oneself/abides
• vartate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ātmanepada

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/विशेषार्थक)

• mānavaḥ: a human
• mānavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• bhavati: arises/is
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• śraddhā: faith
• śraddhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayi: in me
• mayi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• anyasya: of another
• anyasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठī), Singular (एकवचन)

• kasyacit: of anyone whatsoever
• kasyacit: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); indefinite (चित्-pratyaya)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Links śraddhā with svadharma/varṇāśrama as preparatory discipline; frames ethical order as a support for devotion that overcomes concealment (tirodhāna).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that śraddhā (devoted, steady trust) is not mere emotion but a dharmic power: when one safeguards svadharma and lives rightly, the heart becomes fit for Śiva, and faith naturally stabilizes in Him—opening the path to His grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

Linga-worship and Saguna devotion require inner steadiness and purity. Śiva states that true śraddhā in Him is grounded in right conduct (svavarṇāśrama-dharma); such discipline supports consistent pūjā, mantra-japa, and reverence for the Linga as Śiva’s accessible form for the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is dharma-aligned daily sādhana: regular Śiva-pūjā and japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) supported by ethical living; this stabilizes śraddhā and makes devotion effective.