Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 64

श्रद्धामाहात्म्यं तथा देवीप्रश्नः

The Greatness of Śraddhā and Devī’s Question to Śiva

Devanagari script

प्राक्संस्कारवशादेव ये विचिंत्य फलाफले । विवशा मां प्रपद्यंते मम प्रियतमा मताः । मल्लाभान्न परो लाभस्तेषामस्ति यथातथम् । ममापि लाभस्तल्लाभान्नापरः परमेश्वरि

Transliteration

prāksaṃskāravaśādeva ye viciṃtya phalāphale | vivaśā māṃ prapadyaṃte mama priyatamā matāḥ | mallābhānna paro lābhasteṣāmasti yathātatham | mamāpi lābhastallābhānnāparaḥ parameśvari

Translation

噢帕拉梅湿瓦丽，那些因往昔圣善熏习之力而思量得失、仿佛被驱使般归依于我者，我视之为最亲爱。对他们而言，无有高于得我之利，不论以何方式成就。对我亦然，他们得我便是唯一之得，别无他得。

Word by Word

• prāk-saṃskāra-vaśāt: due to the force of prior impressions
• prāk-saṃskāra-vaśāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāk (अव्यय) + saṃskāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'प्राक् (पूर्व) संस्कारस्य वशः'

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• viciṃtya: having considered
• viciṃtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√cint (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय: ल्यप्), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)

• phala-aphale: in success and failure
• phala-aphale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + aphala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन); द्वन्द्वः = 'फलम् च अफलम् च'

• vivaśāḥ: helpless/compelled
• vivaśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prapadyante: take refuge (in)
• prapadyante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√pad (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), 3rd person, Plural, Ātmanepada

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• priyatamāḥ: most dear
• priyatamāḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priyatama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; superlative sense

• matāḥ: are regarded
• matāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'are considered'

• mat-lābhāt: than gaining me
• mat-lābhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'मम लाभः'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• paraḥ: higher/greater
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• lābhaḥ: gain
• lābhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• teṣām: for them/of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• yathā-tatham: exactly so/accordingly
• yathā-tatham: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverbial pair (अव्यय-युग्म) meaning 'just so/in whatever way'

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• lābhaḥ: gain
• lābhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tat-lābhāt: than their gain (of me)
• tat-lābhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'तस्य लाभः'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• aparaḥ: other
• aparaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• parameśvari: O Supreme Goddess
• parameśvari: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames ‘attaining Śiva’ (mallābha) as the supreme gain; pilgrimage and worship are reinterpreted as movement from saṃskāra-driven approach to surrender (prapatti).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that surrender to Shiva can arise from prior saṃskāras and divine grace; attaining Shiva (Pati) is the supreme profit, surpassing all worldly calculations of gain and loss, and it culminates in liberation.

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

Taking refuge in Shiva is commonly expressed through Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—where devotion matures into śaraṇāgati; the ‘attainment of Shiva’ here points to intimate union through grace, not merely external ritual merit.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śaraṇāgati supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady Linga-dhyāna; these practices align the mind so prior saṃskāras ripen into wholehearted refuge in Shiva.