Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः

Mantra Efficacy, Removal of Obstacles, and the Role of Faith/Discipline

Devanagari script

तदंकमंडलारूढा शक्तिर्माहेश्वरी परा । महालक्ष्मीरिति ख्याता श्यामा सर्वमनोहरा

Transliteration

tadaṃkamaṃḍalārūḍhā śaktirmāheśvarī parā | mahālakṣmīriti khyātā śyāmā sarvamanoharā

Translation

端坐于祂膝上圆座者，乃至上之摩诃伊湿伐梨圣力（Māheśvarī Śakti）。她以“摩诃拉克什弥”（Mahālakṣmī）著称，肤色幽黯（śyāmā），摄受一切众心。

Word by Word

• तत्-अङ्क-मण्डल-आरूढा: seated upon that lap-circle (lap/seat)
• तत्-अङ्क-मण्डल-आरूढा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + आरूढ (कृदन्त, क्त; √रुह् धातु with आ-उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘तस्य अङ्कमण्डले’ इति)

• शक्तिः: the Power (Śakti)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• माहेश्वरी: Māheśvarī
• माहेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् नाम

• परा: supreme
• परा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; गुणवाचक

• महालक्ष्मीः: Mahālakṣmī
• महालक्ष्मीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; देवी-विशेषनाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निरूपणार्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्याता: known/called
• ख्याता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्यात (कृदन्त, क्त; √ख्या धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• श्यामा: dark-complexioned
• श्यामा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सर्व-मनोहरा: charming to all minds
• सर्व-मनोहरा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयार्थे: ‘सर्वेषां मनोहरा’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Mahālakṣmī
• Śakti

FAQs

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

It affirms the inseparable unity of Pati (Śiva) and His Parā-Śakti: liberation is approached by recognizing that the Lord’s power, grace, and auspiciousness manifest as the Goddess, who is praised here as Mahālakṣmī.

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

In Saguna worship, Śiva is contemplated together with His Śakti—the Linga signifies Śiva as the supreme principle, while the Goddess represents His active power (śakti) by which grace, protection, and spiritual fruition are bestowed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva with His Śakti as a single reality while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and perform simple Mahāśivarātri-style devotion—abhisheka and offering of bilva—seeking the Lord’s grace through the Śakti who is ‘sarvamanoharā’.