Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 33

पशुपाशपतिज्ञान-प्राप्तिः

Acquisition of Paśupati–Pāśa Knowledge

Devanagari script

कलातस्तदभिव्यक्तमनभिव्यक्तलक्षणम् । सुखदुःखविमोहात्मा भुज्यते गुणवांस्त्रिधा

Transliteration

kalātastadabhivyaktamanabhivyaktalakṣaṇam | sukhaduḥkhavimohātmā bhujyate guṇavāṃstridhā

Translation

由（主的）分力 kalā——其有限的显现——生起那转为显现者，却仍具不显之相；具诸德（guṇa）的有身之我，三重受用：乐、苦与迷。

Word by Word

• कलातः: from a portion/part
• कलातः: अपादान (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; Ablative singular (from/after a part/portion)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; refers to the principle discussed

• अभिव्यक्तम्: manifest
• अभिव्यक्तम्: विशेष्य/कर्म (Predicate/Complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; व्यक्त धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'manifest'

• तदभिव्यक्तम्: that which is manifest
• तदभिव्यक्तम्: विशेष्य/कर्म (Predicate/Complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद्-अभिव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'that (which is) manifest'

• अनभिव्यक्त: unmanifest
• अनभिव्यक्त: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन-अभिव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; used in compound

• लक्षणम्: characteristic, mark
• लक्षणम्: विशेष्य/कर्म (Predicate/Complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनभिव्यक्तलक्षणम्: characterized as unmanifest
• अनभिव्यक्तलक्षणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनभिव्यक्त-लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'having the characteristic of being unmanifest'

• सुख: pleasure
• सुख: उपपद-सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; used in compound

• दुःख: pain
• दुःख: उपपद-सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; used in compound

• विमोह: delusion
• विमोह: उपपद-सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; used in compound

• आत्मा: self, essence
• आत्मा: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• सुखदुःखविमोहात्मा: one whose nature is pleasure, pain, and delusion
• सुखदुःखविमोहात्मा: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख-दुःख-विमोह-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'whose nature consists of pleasure, pain, and delusion'

• भुज्यते: is experienced/enjoyed
• भुज्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; passive/mediopassive sense 'is experienced/enjoyed'

• गुणवान्: possessing guṇas
• गुणवान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• त्रिधा: in three ways
• त्रिधा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It explains bondage: when the soul functions under limitation (kalā) and the guṇas, experience becomes triadic—pleasure, pain, and delusion—signaling life under pāśa (bondage) rather than the soul’s pure Shiva-oriented awareness.

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

Linga/Saguna worship turns the guṇa-bound mind toward Pati (Shiva). By devotion and contemplation on Shiva as the Lord beyond vyakta and avyakta, the devotee weakens delusion and loosens the bonds that produce sukha-duḥkha cycles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as transcending both manifest and unmanifest, supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to steady the mind beyond guṇa-driven reactions.