Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 71

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

गोदानं च वृषोत्सर्गं कुर्यात्पूजां च संपदा । भक्तश्च शिवप्रीत्यर्थं सर्वकामविवर्जितः

Transliteration

godānaṃ ca vṛṣotsargaṃ kuryātpūjāṃ ca saṃpadā | bhaktaśca śivaprītyarthaṃ sarvakāmavivarjitaḥ

Translation

唯为令主湿婆欢喜，信徒当远离一切私欲，行施牛之供养，修行放牛仪（vṛṣotsarga，礼释公牛），并以财物虔诚奉献而礼拜。

Word by Word

• go-dānam: gift of a cow
• go-dānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (goṣṭhī/‘of cows’ → ‘cow-gift’)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• vṛṣa-utsargam: release/donation of a bull
• vṛṣa-utsargam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘release of a bull’)

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), 3rd person, singular; parasmaipada

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• saṃpadā: with wealth/prosperity; with resources
• saṃpadā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃpad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana; adverbial instrumental (साधन/उपाय)

• bhaktaḥ: a devotee
• bhaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √bhaj)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; agent noun ‘devotee’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• śiva-prīti-artham: for Śiva’s pleasure
• śiva-prīti-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + prīti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense ‘for the sake of Śiva’s pleasure’ (artham = purpose)

• sarva-kāma-vivarjitaḥ: free from all desires
• sarva-kāma-vivarjitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (कृदन्त; √vṛj with vi-)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; बहुव्रीहि-like semantics but form as तत्पुरुष: ‘devoid of all desires’; qualifies ‘bhaktaḥ’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights dāna and vṛṣotsarga as dharmic supports to Śiva-bhakti: offering wealth and sustaining dharma (bull release) purifies the soul’s bonds and invites Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches niṣkāma-bhakti—acts like charity and worship become liberating when offered solely for Śiva’s pleasure, not for personal gain, aligning the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

The verse emphasizes concrete devotional service—pūjā supported by one’s resources—directed to Śiva as the worshipful Lord (often approached through the Liṅga), where outer offerings express inner surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It recommends charity (godāna), vṛṣotsarga as a dharmic vow, and Śiva-pūjā funded by one’s honest means—ideally performed with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) in a desireless spirit.