Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात्कर्माण्यकृत्वा वा कृत्वा वांतर्बहिःक्रमात् । येन केनाप्युपायेन शिवे चित्तं निवेशयेत्

Transliteration

tasmātkarmāṇyakṛtvā vā kṛtvā vāṃtarbahiḥkramāt | yena kenāpyupāyena śive cittaṃ niveśayet

Translation

Vì thế, dù làm hay không làm các hành nghiệp—dù theo nghi lễ bên ngoài hay kỷ luật nội tâm—bằng bất cứ phương tiện nào, hãy đặt tâm vững chắc nơi Śiva. Từ sự chuyên chú hướng Thần ấy, dây trói dần nới lỏng và giải thoát chín muồi.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore, from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान/ablative: 'therefore/from that')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• karmāṇi: actions, rites
• karmāṇi: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मपद (object)

• a-kṛtvā: without doing
• a-kṛtvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive modifying main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), निषेध-उपसर्ग 'a-' सहित; 'having not done'

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having done'

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

• antar-bahiḥ-kramāt: in inward-and-outward order
• antar-bahiḥ-kramāt: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: antar (अव्यय) + bahiḥ (अव्यय) + krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; 'krama' शब्दः पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन (kramāt) — 'in due order, inward and outward' (ablatival adverbial)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karana (करण/instrument: 'by which')
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• kena: by any (whatsoever)
• kena: Karana (करण/instrument: 'by what/any')
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• api: even, also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')

• upāyena: by a means, method
• upāyena: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• śive: in Śiva
• śive: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• cittam: mind
• cittam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• niveśayet: should place (fix)
• niveśayet: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √viś (धातु) with नि-उपसर्ग; causative √viś→veśaya
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; प्रेरणार्थक (causative) — 'should cause to enter/place'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the essential practice is citta-niveśa—establishing the mind in Śiva (Pati). Whether through action, renunciation, outer worship, or inner yoga, the goal is unwavering Shiva-remembrance that dissolves bondage (pāśa) and matures liberation.

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

Outer krama can include Liṅga-pūjā, abhiṣeka, mantra-japa, bhasma and rudrākṣa observances—supports that gather the mind into Saguna Śiva. The verse affirms these aids while emphasizing the inner result: the mind becoming steadily lodged in Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Any effective upāya is endorsed—especially Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), Liṅga-dhyāna, and steady inward recollection while performing daily duties; the practical takeaway is to keep the mind continuously anchored in Śiva.