Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35

मन्त्रसिद्ध्यर्थं गुरुपूजा–आज्ञा–पौरश्चर्यविधिः / Guru-Authorization, Offerings, and Puraścaraṇa for Mantra-Siddhi

Devanagari script

शतं स्याच्छंखमणिभिः प्रवालैस्तु सहस्रकम् । स्फटिकैर्दशसाहस्रं मौक्तिकैर्लक्षमुच्यते । पद्माक्षैर्दशलक्षन्तु सौवर्णैः कोटिरुच्यते । कुशग्रंथ्या च रुद्राक्षैरनंतगुणितं भवेत्

Transliteration

śataṃ syācchaṃkhamaṇibhiḥ pravālaistu sahasrakam | sphaṭikairdaśasāhasraṃ mauktikairlakṣamucyate | padmākṣairdaśalakṣantu sauvarṇaiḥ koṭirucyate | kuśagraṃthyā ca rudrākṣairanaṃtaguṇitaṃ bhavet

Translation

Một trăm được tuyên là khi (tràng hạt) làm bằng ngọc ốc; với san hô thì nói là một nghìn. Với pha lê là mười nghìn; với ngọc trai thì được xưng là một lakh (một trăm nghìn). Với hạt sen (padmākṣa) là mười lakh; với vàng thì được nói là một crore (mười triệu). Nhưng với tràng hạt thắt bằng cỏ kuśa và hạt Rudrākṣa, công đức được nhân lên vô lượng—nhờ ân điển của Śiva, Đấng Pati (Chúa Tể) của muôn loài.

Word by Word

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Pradhāna (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; numeral

• syāt: would be/is to be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular

• śaṅkha-maṇibhiḥ: with conch beads
• śaṅkha-maṇibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha-maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; तत्पुरुषः—‘śaṅkhasya maṇayaḥ’ (conch-shell beads)

• pravālaiḥ: with coral beads
• pravālaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pravāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• tu: and/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• sahasrakam: a thousand
• sahasrakam: Pradhāna (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘a thousand’

• sphaṭikaiḥ: with crystal beads
• sphaṭikaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• daśa-sāhasram: ten thousand
• daśa-sāhasram: Pradhāna (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या) + sāhasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; द्विगु—‘daśa sahasrāṇi’ (ten-thousand)

• mauktikaiḥ: with pearl beads
• mauktikaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauktika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• lakṣam: a lakh (100,000)
• lakṣam: Pradhāna (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ucyate: is said
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• padmākṣaiḥ: with lotus-seed beads
• padmākṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padmākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; lexical compound (lotus-seed beads)

• daśa-lakṣam: ten lakhs (1,000,000)
• daśa-lakṣam: Pradhāna (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या) + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; द्विगु—‘daśa lakṣāṇi’ (ten lakhs)

• tu: and/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• sauvarṇaiḥ: with gold beads
• sauvarṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sauvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; ‘golden (beads)’

• koṭiḥ: a crore (10,000,000)
• koṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)/Pradhāna
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ucyate: is said
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• kuśa-graṃthyā: with a kuśa-knot/string
• kuśa-graṃthyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśa-graṃthi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘kuśena graṃthiḥ’ (knot/string of kuśa)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• rudrākṣaiḥ: with rudrākṣa beads
• rudrākṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; lexical compound (Rudra’s eye = rudrākṣa beads)

• ananta-guṇitam: infinitely multiplied
• ananta-guṇitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇita (प्रातिपदिक; √guṇ/√gaṇ? here ‘multiplied’ from √guṇ/gaṇ in usage)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘anantena guṇitam’ (multiplied infinitely)

• bhavet: would be/becomes
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Elevates rudrākṣa and kuśa-knotted mālā as uniquely Śaiva supports for japa-siddhi, emphasizing Śiva’s lordship (Pati) and grace over mere material valuation.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches a Shaiva principle: the fruit of japa is not merely numerical but depends on sanctity, devotion, and Śiva-connected supports. Rudrākṣa—bearing Rudra’s association—makes the same practice vastly more potent, pointing the seeker toward grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

Rudrākṣa and kuśa-granthi are aids for Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—devotional japa and worship directed to Śiva with attributes (as the compassionate Lord who grants purification). Such disciplined practice supports inner steadiness, preparing the devotee for deeper realization of Śiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) using a Rudrākṣa mala, ideally with traditional kuśa-knotting, maintaining purity, steadiness, and devotion; the text emphasizes that this greatly magnifies the spiritual fruit.