Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

उपमन्युतपः-निवारणप्रसङ्गः / Śiva restrains Upamanyu’s tapas (Śiva disguised as Indra)

Devanagari script

एवं व्यवसिते विप्रे भगवान्भगनेत्रहा । वारयामास सौम्येन धारणां तस्य योगिनः

Transliteration

evaṃ vyavasite vipre bhagavānbhaganetrahā | vārayāmāsa saumyena dhāraṇāṃ tasya yoginaḥ

Translation

婆罗门啊，当此决意既成之时，世尊——毁去婆伽之眼的湿婆——以柔和之力制止了那位瑜伽行者的持念（dhāraṇā，内在专注）。

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकारे ‘thus’

• व्यवसिते: when it was resolved
• व्यवसिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + सि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) from व्यवसि/व्यवस् ‘to resolve/decide’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• विप्रे: in the brāhmaṇa (O brāhmaṇa / with the brāhmaṇa)
• विप्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः (‘in/with the brāhmaṇa’)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भगनेत्रहा: Bhaganetrahā (Śiva)
• भगनेत्रहा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग + नेत्र + हन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘slayer of Bhaga’s eye’ (epithet of Śiva)

• वारयामास: restrained, checked
• वारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; causative sense ‘caused to stop/checked’ from √वृ/वारयति

• सौम्येन: with gentleness
• सौम्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणम् (instrument) ‘by gentleness/with a gentle (means)’

• धारणाम्: concentration, retention
• धारणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• योगिनः: of the yogin
• योगिनः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तस्य-विशेष्यः

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s act within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva as the compassionate Lord (Pati) who actively guides the seeker’s yoga—showing that liberation is not achieved by willpower alone, but by right direction and Shiva’s gracious restraint and correction.

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

By naming Shiva through a leela-epithet (Bhaganetra-hā), the verse points to Saguna Shiva—knowable through forms, names, and deeds—who personally intervenes for devotees and yogins, aligning their practice with divine purpose.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse centers on dhāraṇā (one-pointed concentration) but implies it should be practiced under Shiva’s guidance—supported by Shaiva disciplines like mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and devotional surrender rather than rigid, self-driven fixation.