Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

पुण्यक्षये क्षितिं प्राप्य कुले महति जायते । तत्रापि पूर्वसंस्कारवशेन स महाद्युतिः

Transliteration

puṇyakṣaye kṣitiṃ prāpya kule mahati jāyate | tatrāpi pūrvasaṃskāravaśena sa mahādyutiḥ

Translation

当福德耗尽之时，灵魂复归人间，生于显赫高贵之家。即便在彼处，亦因往昔熏习（saṁskāra）之力，此人显现大灵光与殊胜光辉。

Word by Word

• puṇya-kṣaye: when merit is exhausted
• puṇya-kṣaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘decay/exhaustion of merit’; पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• kṣitim: to the earth
• kṣitim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• prāpya: having reached
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prāp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having reached’

• kule: in a family
• kule: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• mahati: great/noble
• mahati: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with kule)

• jāyate: is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘is born’

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक: ‘there/in that (family)’

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle): ‘also/even’

• pūrva-saṃskāra-vaśena: by the power of former impressions
• pūrva-saṃskāra-vaśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃskāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘by the force (vaśa) of previous impressions’; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mahā-dyutiḥ: (one of) great radiance
• mahā-dyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘great splendor’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Puṇya-kṣaya (exhaustion of merit) triggers punarjanma; saṃskāra continuity across births.

FAQs

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

It teaches that worldly rebirth can occur after merit is spent, yet prior spiritual saṁskāras persist—so a seeker’s earlier Shaiva orientation and inner purity can reawaken quickly, leading toward renewed sādhanā and eventual liberation.

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

The verse implies continuity of devotion: earlier impressions from Linga-worship, mantra-japa, and Shiva-bhakti do not vanish with a new birth, and they naturally draw the person again toward Saguna Shiva practices that purify bonds (pāśa) and mature the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Sustain practices that create strong saṁskāras—daily Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), respectful Linga-pūjā, and wearing/using Rudraksha with disciplined conduct—so the spiritual momentum continues across life stages.