Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 71

अनुग्रह-स्वातन्त्र्य-प्रमाणविचारः | Inquiry into Pramāṇa, Divine Autonomy, and Grace

Devanagari script

उत्तराधरभावो ऽपि ज्ञेयस्संसारिणो मलः । यथामभावो मुक्तस्य पूर्वं पश्चात्तु पक्वता

Transliteration

uttarādharabhāvo 'pi jñeyassaṃsāriṇo malaḥ | yathāmabhāvo muktasya pūrvaṃ paścāttu pakvatā

Translation

对“高”与“低”（优与劣）的分别，也应知是轮回之魂的垢染（mala）。对已解脱者而言，仿佛不复有此等观念；先前是未熟，后来则臻于成熟（灵性圆熟）。

Word by Word

• उत्तर-अधर-भावः: the state of higher and lower (gradation)
• उत्तर-अधर-भावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (उत्तरश्च अधरश्च) + तत्पुरुष (तयोः भावः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-सूचक (also/even)

• ज्ञेयः: to be known
• ज्ञेयः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-भाव्य/कर्तव्य (gerundive: to be known)

• संसारिणः: of the transmigrator/worldly being
• संसारिणः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the transmigrating being)

• मलः: impurity, taint
• मलः: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• यथाम: as, according to
• यथाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथाम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानार्थ (as/according to)

• अभावः: absence, non-existence
• अभावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• मुक्तस्य: of the liberated one
• मुक्तस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; मुच् धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used substantively)

• पूर्वम्: before, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: before/earlier)

• पश्चात्: after, later
• पश्चात्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (after/later)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• पक्वता: ripeness, maturity
• पक्वता: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्वता (प्रातिपदिक; पक्व + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; भाववाचक-ताप्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies the very habit of ranking—‘I am higher, you are lower’—as a bondage-producing impurity (mala). Liberation is marked by the ripening of consciousness where such ego-based comparisons fall away, revealing steadiness in Shiva-oriented awareness.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to rest in the one Lord beyond all distinctions. By repeatedly honoring Shiva as the inner Self and supreme Reality, the devotee’s tendency to measure worth through relative status is purified, aligning the heart with Saguna Shiva’s grace and pointing toward the non-differentiating truth the Linga signifies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility, combined with Vibhuti (Tripundra) as a reminder of ego-ash, supports this teaching: drop comparison, cultivate inner equal vision, and let devotion mature into spiritual ‘ripeness’ (pakvatā).