Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2

षडध्व-शुद्धिः

Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path

Devanagari script

कलां तत्त्वं च भुवनं वर्णं पदमतः परम् । मंत्रश्चेति समासेन षडध्वा परिपठ्यते

Transliteration

kalāṃ tattvaṃ ca bhuvanaṃ varṇaṃ padamataḥ param | maṃtraśceti samāsena ṣaḍadhvā paripaṭhyate

Translation

Tóm lược, sáu “đạo” (ṣaḍ-adhvā) được tụng niệm là: kalā (các năng lực/thành phần), tattva (các nguyên lý), bhuvana (các thế giới), varṇa (các âm tự), pada (các từ ngữ linh thánh) và vượt trên những điều ấy là mantra (các chân ngôn mặc khải).

Word by Word

• कलाम्: (the) kalā (power/part)
• कलाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: principle/reality (tattva)
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भुवनम्: world(s)
• भुवनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वर्णम्: letter/syllable; class (varṇa)
• वर्णम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पदम्: word/step (pada)
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अतः: thereafter
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थे (thereafter/next)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः; नपुंसक-एकवचन रूपं ‘further’

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject within list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सूची-समापनार्थक (thus, ‘so’)

• समासेन: in summary/briefly
• समासेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे (instrumental: in brief/summarizingly)

• षडध्वा: the sixfold path(s) (ṣaḍ-adhvan)
• षडध्वा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षडध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षट् + अध्वन्)

• परिपठ्यते: is recited/enumerated
• परिपठ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It summarizes the Shaiva Siddhanta-style map of reality (ṣaḍ-adhvā): from subtle powers and principles down to worlds and language, culminating in mantra—showing how bondage (pāśa) operates through levels and how liberation is approached through right knowledge and mantra.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is supported by mantra and disciplined understanding of tattvas; this verse places mantra as the culminating means, indicating that Saguna worship (with form and ritual) is empowered and made effective through the revealed mantric path leading toward realization of Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa is implied as the key practice—reciting Shiva-mantras (such as the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with awareness of the tattvas and inner purification, often alongside Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and yogic contemplation.