Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

शैवो यः परमो धर्मः श्रेष्ठानुष्ठानशब्दितः । इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां कथंचिदुपबृंहितः

Transliteration

śaivo yaḥ paramo dharmaḥ śreṣṭhānuṣṭhānaśabditaḥ | itihāsapurāṇābhyāṃ kathaṃcidupabṛṃhitaḥ

Translation

那至上的湿婆法（Śaiva Dharma），被称为最殊胜的圣行仪轨，亦由《传史》（Itihāsa）与《往世书》（Purāṇa）在一定程度上加以阐发并作扶持。

Word by Word

• śaivaḥ: Śaiva, pertaining to Śiva
• śaivaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of dharmaḥ

• yaḥ: which/that (who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun (यः) referring to dharmaḥ

• paramaḥ: supreme
• paramaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of dharmaḥ

• dharmaḥ: dharma, religious duty/path
• dharmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śreṣṭha-anuṣṭhāna-śabditaḥ: called ‘the best observance’
• śreṣṭha-anuṣṭhāna-śabditaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + anuṣṭhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + śabdita (कृदन्त; √śabd (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; kta-participle used adjectivally; samāsa: śreṣṭham anuṣṭhānam iti (karmadhāraya/tatpurusha sense) + tena śabditaḥ (instrumental relation implied)

• itihāsa-purāṇābhyām: by (means of) the Itihāsa and Purāṇa
• itihāsa-purāṇābhyām: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itihāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग? (commonly Puṃliṅga for both members; dvandva treated as dual), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Dvivacana (Dual/द्विवचन)

• kathaṃcit: somehow, in some manner
• kathaṃcit: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcit (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘somehow/in some way’

• upabṛṃhitaḥ: augmented, elaborated
• upabṛṃhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-bṛṃhita (कृदन्त; उप√bṛṃh (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; past passive participle (kta) agreeing with dharmaḥ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Programmatic statement: ‘Śaiva parama-dharma’ is the श्रेष्ठानुष्ठान (best observance) and is supported by Itihāsa and Purāṇa—positioning Purāṇic narrative as a legitimate vehicle for Śiva’s liberating teaching.

Significance: Validates Purāṇic listening/recitation (śravaṇa–kīrtana) as a support for Śiva-dharma; encourages devotees to ground practice in narrative theology and exemplars.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts that Shaiva Dharma is the highest spiritual path and that its principles are clarified and validated through sacred narrative traditions (Itihasa and Purana), guiding the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati) and liberation.

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

By grounding Shaiva Dharma in Purāṇic and Itihāsa teachings, it points to scripturally sanctioned modes of devotion—especially Saguna worship such as Liṅga-pūjā—through which the highest Dharma is practiced and understood.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse emphasizes “śreṣṭha anuṣṭhāna” (best observance), implying disciplined Shaiva practice such as regular Liṅga worship, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and conduct aligned with Shaiva vows taught in Purāṇic tradition.