Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 124

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

तस्य ब्रह्म षडंगानि विद्येशांतं तथाष्टकम् । चत्वारो मूर्तिभेदाश्च शिवपूर्वाः शिवार्चकाः

Transliteration

tasya brahma ṣaḍaṃgāni vidyeśāṃtaṃ tathāṣṭakam | catvāro mūrtibhedāśca śivapūrvāḥ śivārcakāḥ

Translation

对于彼梵（至上实相），有六支分；亦有以“持明主”（Vidyeśa）为终的八种体系。又有四类显现之别——以湿婆为首——皆为礼敬湿婆者。

Word by Word

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

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / sacred doctrine
• ब्रह्म: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• षडङ्गानि: six limbs/parts
• षडङ्गानि: Viśeṣya/Predicate (विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षड्-अङ्ग ‘six limbs’ (द्विगु-समास)

• विद्येशान्तम्: (that which is) ending with Vidyeśa
• विद्येशान्तम्: Viśeṣya/Predicate (विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्येश + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विद्येश-आन्तम् ‘ending with Vidyeśa’ (तत्पुरुष)

• तथा: and also/likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunctive adverb)

• अष्टकम्: octad/group of eight
• अष्टकम्: Viśeṣya/Predicate (विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• मूर्तिभेदाः: divisions of forms
• मूर्तिभेदाः: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; मूर्तेः भेदाः ‘divisions of forms’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिवपूर्वाः: with Śiva as the foremost
• शिवपूर्वाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (of शिवार्चकाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; शिवः पूर्वः येषाम् ‘having Śiva as the first’ (बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थे तत्पुरुष-रचना; here treated as तत्पुरुष)

• शिवार्चकाः: worshippers of Śiva
• शिवार्चकाः: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + अर्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; शिवस्य अर्चकाः ‘worshippers of Śiva’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahman
• Vidyesha

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva Siddhanta-style framework: the Supreme (Brahman/Śiva as Pati) is approached through structured categories—“six limbs” and an “eightfold set”—and through recognized modes of manifestation, emphasizing that realization is supported by disciplined, scriptural worship rather than mere abstraction.

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

By speaking of “mūrtibheda” (distinctions of manifestation) beginning with Śiva, the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—approaching the Nirguna Supreme through tangible, name-and-form worship such as the Śiva-liṅga, guided by doctrinal groupings like the aṣṭaka and ṣaḍaṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies disciplined Śiva-arcana: structured worship using mantra and doctrinal limbs—practically expressed through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), liṅga-pūjā, and meditative contemplation on Śiva as the first principle among the manifested forms.