Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 77

मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः

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

Devanagari script

स्थलायते समुद्रो ऽपि स्थलमप्यर्णवायते । महीधरायते श्वभ्रं स च श्वभ्रायते गिरिः

Transliteration

sthalāyate samudro 'pi sthalamapyarṇavāyate | mahīdharāyate śvabhraṃ sa ca śvabhrāyate giriḥ

Translation

连大海也似成陆地，连陆地也似成大海；深坑如山岳，而那山岳又如深坑——这正是幻力（māyā）在被缚之灵（paśu）上造成的迷惑颠倒。

Word by Word

• sthalāyate: becomes land / turns into ground
• sthalāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthala (प्रातिपदिक) + √i (धातु) [ṇij/denominative: -āyate]
• Form: Denominative verb (नामधातु), Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• samudraḥ: ocean
• samudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• sthalam: land; ground
• sthalam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• arṇavāyate: becomes an ocean / turns ocean-like
• arṇavāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + √i (धातु) [ṇij/denominative: -āyate]
• Form: Denominative verb (नामधातु), Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• mahīdharāyate: becomes a mountain
• mahīdharāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mahīdhara (प्रातिपदिक) + √i (धातु) [ṇij/denominative: -āyate]
• Form: Denominative verb (नामधातु), Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• śvabhram: pit; chasm
• śvabhram: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvabhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• saḥ: that; it/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• śvabhrāyate: becomes a pit / turns into a chasm
• śvabhrāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śvabhra (प्रातिपदिक) + √i (धातु) [ṇij/denominative: -āyate]
• Form: Denominative verb (नामधातु), Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• giriḥ: mountain
• giriḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it is a classic māyā-viparyaya illustration: ocean/land, pit/mountain appear reversed—signifying bondage as perceptual-cognitive distortion.

Significance: General: prompts viveka (discernment) in pilgrims/devotees—do not trust appearances under māyā; seek Śiva’s grace and right knowledge to see reality as it is.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that ordinary perception is unstable and can invert reality; liberation arises when the paśu recognizes māyā’s distortions and turns toward Pati (Shiva) as the unfailing ground of truth.

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

The Linga functions as a steady, non-deceptive support for contemplation: by fixing the mind on Shiva (Saguna worship leading toward Nirguna realization), the devotee counters the mind’s tendency to project and misread the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with steady dhyāna on Shiva—optionally supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha—helps cut through perceptual confusion and cultivate discrimination (viveka).