Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

भावानुगुणमीशस्य प्रसादो व्यतिरिच्यते । प्रसादात्कर्मसंत्यागः फलतो न स्वरूपतः

Transliteration

bhāvānuguṇamīśasya prasādo vyatiricyate | prasādātkarmasaṃtyāgaḥ phalato na svarūpataḥ

Translation

主宰（Īśa）之恩典，随行者内在心性而显现。由此恩典而生出对业行的出离——然所舍者为业果，并非在本质上弃绝行动本身。

Word by Word

• bhāva-anuguṇam: in accordance with (one’s) disposition
• bhāva-anuguṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of prasādaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + anuguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा) or Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used predicatively with prasādaḥ; समासः: bhāva-anuguṇa (तत्पुरुषः: ‘conforming to disposition/feeling’)

• īśasya: of the Lord
• īśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• prasādaḥ: grace/favor
• prasādaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vyatiricyate: is distinguished/varies
• vyatiricyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ati-√ric (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• prasādāt: from grace
• prasādāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• karma-saṃtyāgaḥ: renunciation of action
• karma-saṃtyāgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃtyāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः: karma-saṃtyāga (तत्पुरुषः: ‘renunciation of action/works’)

• phalataḥ: in terms of result
• phalataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: phalatas (अव्यय; from phala)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘as to result/with respect to fruit’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• svarūpataḥ: in essence/by nature
• svarūpataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svarūpatas (अव्यय; from svarūpa)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘as to essential nature/in itself’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s prasāda operates according to the seeker’s maturity, leading to liberation by removing attachment to outcomes rather than forcing mere outer inactivity.

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

In Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā), the devotee continues prescribed acts of devotion, but by Śiva’s grace those acts become purified—performed without craving for worldly or even heavenly rewards.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform daily Śiva-pūjā and japa (especially the Pañcākṣara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with niṣkāma-bhāva—offer every act and its fruit to Śiva, cultivating detachment and steady inward remembrance.