Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 85

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

Devanagari script

स्वाज्ञौषधविधानेन दुःखान्मोचयते शिवः । न भिषक्कारणं रोगे शिवः संसारकारणम्

Transliteration

svājñauṣadhavidhānena duḥkhānmocayate śivaḥ | na bhiṣakkāraṇaṃ roge śivaḥ saṃsārakāraṇam

Translation

凭其自有之“药”——即其圣命与恩典——湿婆使众生脱离诸苦。祂并非如医者反成病因；相反，湿婆正是轮回（saṃsāra）之因，因此唯有祂亦能令其止息。

Word by Word

• स्व-आज्ञा-औषध-विधानेन: by the administration of the medicine of his own command
• स्व-आज्ञा-औषध-विधानेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + औषध (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य आज्ञा एव औषधम्; तस्य विधानेन)

• दुःखात्: from suffering
• दुःखात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• मोचयते: releases/frees
• मोचयते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु) [णिच् causative: मोचय-]
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• शिवः: Shiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• भिषक्: the physician
• भिषक्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिषज्/भिषक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: सम्बन्ध (Predicate/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• रोगे: in disease
• रोगे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• शिवः: Shiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• संसार-कारणम्: the cause of saṃsāra
• संसार-कारणम्: सम्बन्ध (Predicate/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (संसारस्य कारणम्)

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as the supreme Lord (Pati) whose governance and grace alone can remove duḥkha; because saṃsāra arises under His cosmic power, liberation also depends on His anugraha rather than mere worldly remedies.

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

Worship of the Liṅga (Saguna focus) is a concrete means to approach Śiva’s saving power—seeking His command-like ‘medicine’ through devotion, pūjā, and surrender, which ripens the soul for release from bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Seek Śiva’s ‘auṣadha’ through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhakti and inner surrender; complement with Śaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and remembrance.