Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

पाशैर्बध्नाति च यथा दंड्यांस्तस्यैव शासनात् । ददाति नित्यं यक्षेन्द्रो द्रविणं द्रविणेश्वरः

Transliteration

pāśairbadhnāti ca yathā daṃḍyāṃstasyaiva śāsanāt | dadāti nityaṃ yakṣendro draviṇaṃ draviṇeśvaraḥ

Translation

正如依其圣命，应受惩罚者被套索缚住；同样，财宝之主夜叉王俱毗罗，作为宝藏的统御者，也恒常赐予财富，皆遵从至上主的同一法令。

Word by Word

• पाशैः: with nooses/bonds
• पाशैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• बध्नाति: binds
• बध्नाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 3rd sg

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय; adverb ‘as/just as’

• दण्ड्यान्: those to be punished / offenders
• दण्ड्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) बहुवचन; Accusative plural

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय; emphatic particle

• शासनात्: from/according to the command
• शासनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचन; Ablative singular

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 3rd sg

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया; adverbial accusative ‘always’

• यक्षेन्द्रः: the lord of the Yakṣas
• यक्षेन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचन; Genitive-tatpuruṣa ‘lord of yakṣas’

• द्रविणम्: wealth
• द्रविणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रविण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; Accusative singular

• द्रविणेश्वरः: the lord of wealth
• द्रविणेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रविण + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचन; Genitive-tatpuruṣa ‘lord of wealth’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Kubera
• Yakshas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the supreme Pati whose ordinance governs both bondage (pāśa) and prosperity—showing that karma’s restraint and worldly gain operate under divine order, urging the seeker to rely on Shiva rather than on wealth.

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

By portraying a personal Lord who commands cosmic administration (punishment, wealth, guardians like Kubera), it supports Saguna devotion to Shiva—commonly approached through Linga worship—as the accessible ruler of dharma and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice surrender through japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Shiva as Pati who loosens pāśa (bondage); offer simple Linga worship and cultivate detachment so wealth is received as His trust, not as the goal.