Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

परमो ऽपरमश्चोभौ धर्मौ हि श्रुतिचोदितौ । धर्मशब्दाभिधेयेर्थे प्रमाणं श्रुतिरेव नः

Transliteration

paramo 'paramaścobhau dharmau hi śruticoditau | dharmaśabdābhidheyerthe pramāṇaṃ śrutireva naḥ

Translation

至上（parama）与次第（apara）两种法（dharma），确由圣闻（Śruti）所敕令。关于“dharma”一词所指的真实义趣，唯有Śruti是我们的权威凭证。

Word by Word

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपरमः: non-supreme/secondary
• अपरमः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• धर्मौ: the two dharmas
• धर्मौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• श्रुति-चोदितौ: enjoined by śruti
• श्रुति-चोदितौ: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + चोदित (चुद् धातु → क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रुत्या चोदितौ = enjoined by scripture); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• धर्म-शब्द-अभिधेय-अर्थे: in the meaning denoted by the word ‘dharma’
• धर्म-शब्द-अभिधेय-अर्थे: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिधेय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘धर्मशब्दस्य अभिधेयः अर्थः’ इति; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्रमाणम्: authoritative means/standard
• प्रमाणम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रुतिः: śruti (scripture)
• श्रुतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• नः: for us/our
• नः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes Śruti as pramāṇa for dharma (both apara and para); in Siddhānta this guards practice from mere opinion and anchors temple/vrata observances in revealed authority.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

FAQs

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

It establishes Śruti (Veda) as the final authority for defining dharma, distinguishing higher dharma that leads toward liberation from lower dharma that sustains righteous worldly order—both ultimately aligned with the Lord’s ordinance.

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

Linga worship and other Śaiva observances are to be understood and practiced in harmony with Śruti-based dharma; the verse grounds devotional practice (saguna upāsanā) in scriptural pramāṇa rather than mere opinion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow Śruti-aligned Śaiva discipline: daily purity and worship (such as Linga-pūjā with mantra), and choose practices validated by scripture—supporting both outer dharma and inner orientation toward mokṣa.