Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

शिवशास्त्रप्रवक्तृत्वमपि तस्य हि तत्कृतम् । कुमारो मुनितो लब्धज्ञानाब्धिरिव नन्दनः

Transliteration

śivaśāstrapravaktṛtvamapi tasya hi tatkṛtam | kumāro munito labdhajñānābdhiriva nandanaḥ

Translation

确然，由祂的作为，他被立为宣说《湿婆圣典》（Śiva-śāstra）之人。那位神圣少年——难陀那（Nandana）——经由圣者，宛如新得的智慧之海。

Word by Word

• शिव-शास्त्र-प्रवक्तृत्वम्: the office of expounding Śiva’s scripture
• शिव-शास्त्र-प्रवक्तृत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of statement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवस्य शास्त्रम्’ + ‘शास्त्रस्य प्रवक्ता’ + ‘त्व’ = the state of being a preacher of Śiva’s scripture

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (also)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed)

• तत्-कृतम्: was done by him/was his doing
• तत्-कृतम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त; कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तेन कृतम्’ (instrumental sense) = done by him/that; predicate adjective

• कुमारः: Kumāra
• कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मुनितः: from the sage
• मुनितः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (source)

• लब्ध-ज्ञान-अब्धिः: (like) an ocean of acquired knowledge
• लब्ध-ज्ञान-अब्धिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लब्ध (कृदन्त; लभ् धातु, क्त) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘लब्धं ज्ञानम्’ (कर्मधारय within) + ‘ज्ञानस्य अब्धिः’ = ocean of obtained knowledge; उपमा-प्रयोगे (iva)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (like/as)

• नन्दनः: the son (Nandana)
• नन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कुमारस्य विशेषण/उपनाम

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandana
• a sage (Muni)

FAQs

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

It highlights that true Śaiva knowledge (jñāna) and the authority to teach Śiva-śāstra arise through grace and proper transmission via a realized sage, leading the seeker toward liberation under Pati (Śiva).

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

Śiva-śāstra is the doctrinal foundation that guides Saguna worship—such as Liṅga-pūjā—into a disciplined path where devotion and ritual mature into inner knowledge of Śiva as the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Seek instruction from a competent guru and study/recite Śiva-śāstra alongside steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), using worship as a support for awakening jñāna.