Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

य एवं शर्वधर्मिष्ठो वर्तते नित्यमुद्यतः । तस्यैकजन्मना मुक्तिं प्रयच्छति महेश्वरः

Transliteration

ya evaṃ śarvadharmiṣṭho vartate nityamudyataḥ | tasyaikajanmanā muktiṃ prayacchati maheśvaraḥ

Translation

若有人如是安住于娑婆（Śarva，即大自在天湿婆）之正法，恒常警觉、精勤修持；大天（Mahādeva）便于其一生之内赐予解脱。

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• एवम्: thus / in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• शर्व-धर्मिष्ठः: most devoted to Śarva’s dharma / very righteous toward Śiva
• शर्व-धर्मिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्मिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative-like adjective from धर्म)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वर्तते: conducts himself / lives
• वर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• उद्यतः: diligent / striving
• उद्यतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत (कृदन्त; √यत् with उद्-; past passive participle used adjectivally)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• एक-जन्मना: by (means of) a single birth / within one lifetime
• एक-जन्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (means/within one birth)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• प्रयच्छति: grants
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यम् (धातु) with प्र- उपसर्ग; causative-like sense 'to grant' (prayacchati)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महेश्वरः: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्ता

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Promises jīvanmukti/ekajanma-mukti through steadfast Śiva-dharma; motivates sustained practice and frames liberation as Śiva’s gracious bestowal rather than mere ritual merit.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) who, out of grace, grants mukti to the devotee who steadily lives by Śiva-dharma with constant earnest effort—showing liberation is attainable here and now through devotion and disciplined conduct.

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

“Śarva-dharma” implies a life oriented to Saguna Śiva worship—reverence to Śiva’s presence in the Liṅga, daily remembrance, purity of conduct, and steadfast devotion—through which the devotee becomes fit for Śiva’s liberating grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse emphasizes nitya-udyama (daily, sincere striving): regular Śiva-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and consistent Shaiva observances such as bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa as supportive disciplines where appropriate.