Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

शैवधर्मप्रशंसा तथा पञ्चविधसाधनविभागः / Praise of Śaiva Dharma and the Fivefold Classification of Practice

Devanagari script

प्रसादात्परमो योगो यः शिवं चापरोक्षयेत् । शिवापरोक्षात्संसारकारणेन वियुज्यते

Transliteration

prasādātparamo yogo yaḥ śivaṃ cāparokṣayet | śivāparokṣātsaṃsārakāraṇena viyujyate

Translation

由神圣恩赐（prasāda）而生起至上的瑜伽，使人得以直接、当下地证悟湿婆。因这对湿婆的直接证悟，便与轮回（saṃsāra）之因彻底分离。

Word by Word

• प्रसादात्: from grace
• प्रसादात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ‘योगः’

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun referring to ‘योगः’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• अपरोक्षयेत्: should make directly realized
• अपरोक्षयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + रक्ष् (धातु) / अपरोक्षय (णिजन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); causative ‘should make directly perceived/should render immediate’

• शिव: from Śiva- (direct realization of Śiva)
• शिव: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन) as first member in compound

• अपरोक्षात्: from direct realization (of Śiva)
• अपरोक्षात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपरोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); compound: शिवापरोक्ष = ‘direct realization of Śiva’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• संसार: of saṃsāra
• संसार: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन) as first member in compound

• कारणेन: by the cause (of saṃsāra)
• कारणेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: संसारकारण = ‘cause of saṃsāra’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वियुज्यते: is separated (from)
• वियुज्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + युज् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); passive-like sense ‘is separated/disjoined’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation is not merely intellectual: by Śiva’s grace one gains the supreme Yoga culminating in aparokṣa (direct) realization of Śiva, and that realization itself cuts the root-cause of saṃsāra (bondage).

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

In Shaiva practice, worship of the Liṅga and saguna upāsanā are grace-bearing disciplines; they mature the seeker toward inner immediacy (aparokṣa-anubhava) where Śiva is known directly, beyond mere concepts, and bondage loosens.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to grace-centered sādhana: steady japa and dhyāna of Śiva (often with the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by Shaiva observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa, aiming at direct realization rather than ritual alone.