Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

विरक्ता वानुरक्ता वा स्त्र्यादीनां विषयेष्वपि । पापैर्न ते विलिंपंते १ पद्मपत्रमिवांभसा

Transliteration

viraktā vānuraktā vā stryādīnāṃ viṣayeṣvapi | pāpairna te viliṃpaṃte 1 padmapatramivāṃbhasā

Translation

Dù người ấy đã ly tham (virakta) hay vẫn còn vướng luyến (anurakta) các đối tượng dục lạc—như nữ sắc và những điều tương tự—tội lỗi cũng không bám dính được, như nước chẳng dính trên lá sen.

Word by Word

• विरक्ताः: detached
• विरक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरक्त (कृदन्त; √रञ्ज् + क्त, वि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• अनुरक्ताः: attached
• अनुरक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुरक्त (कृदन्त; √रञ्ज् + क्त, अनु-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• स्त्री-आदीनाम्: of women and the like
• स्त्री-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (आदि-शब्द), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्त्री च अन्ये च—‘women etc.’ as a set)

• विषयेषु: in objects (of sense)
• विषयेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: ‘even/also’)

• पापैः: by sins
• पापैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• विलिम्पन्ते: are smeared/tainted
• विलिम्पन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धातु √लिप् (लेपन)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पद्मपत्रम्: a lotus leaf
• पद्मपत्रम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पद्मस्य पत्रम्)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle ‘like’)

• अम्भसा: by water
• अम्भसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that one established in Shiva-oriented awareness is not inwardly stained by pāpa, even while living amid worldly conditions—like water rolling off a lotus leaf—signifying freedom from bondage (pāśa) and movement toward moksha.

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

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship trains the mind to rest in Pati (Shiva) rather than in objects; when devotion and surrender mature, actions no longer bind, and impurities do not ‘stick’ to the devotee’s consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain daily Shiva-smarana through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady dhyāna; this inner anchoring supports living in the world without being psychologically ‘smeared’ by attachment.