Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

अधिष्ठाता ततो नित्यमज्ञातो जगतश्शिवः । न शिवेन विना किंचित्प्रवृत्तमिह विद्यते

Transliteration

adhiṣṭhātā tato nityamajñāto jagataśśivaḥ | na śivena vinā kiṃcitpravṛttamiha vidyate

Translation

因此，常住的主湿婆乃宇宙中不可见的主宰与内在的统御者。在此世间，离开湿婆，万事万物皆不能运作或推进。

Word by Word

• अधिष्ठाता: the presiding ruler/overseer
• अधिष्ठाता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधि-√स्था (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agent noun ‘overseer’

• ततः: therefore, then
• ततः: हेतु/सम्बन्ध (Causal/connecting adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग; adverbial accusative ‘always’

• अज्ञातः: unknown, unrecognized
• अज्ञातः: विशेषण (of ‘शिवः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-ज्ञात (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) with नञ्-प्रत्यय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

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

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

• शिवेन: by/with Śiva
• शिवेन: करण/सह (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• विना: without
• विना: अपादान/वियोग (Separation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोगार्थक उपपद (preposition governing instrumental/accusative: ‘without’)

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: कर्ता (Subject of ‘विद्यते’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; indefinite pronoun ‘anything’

• प्रवृत्तम्: set in motion, functioning
• प्रवृत्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with ‘किंचित्’

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• विद्यते: exists, is found
• विद्यते: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु) (विद्=सत्तायाम्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: na śivena vinā kiṃcitpravṛttamiha vidyate

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who inwardly governs all beings and all cosmic functions—yet is subtle and not grasped by ordinary perception. Recognizing this leads the seeker from ego-based agency to surrender and liberation-oriented insight.

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

Since Shiva is ‘unknown’ as the formless inner ruler, the Linga serves as a compassionate Saguna support for worship—making the unseen Lord approachable through ritual, devotion, and contemplation while affirming that the same Shiva pervades all activity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with the bhāva that Shiva is the inner doer of all actions; accompany it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as reminders of detachment and Shiva’s all-pervading lordship.