Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 66

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

अजानन्नपि यत्किंचित्प्रलप्य त्वां नतो ऽस्म्यहम् । कारणत्वं त्वया दत्तं विस्मृतं तव मायया

Transliteration

ajānannapi yatkiṃcitpralapya tvāṃ nato 'smyaham | kāraṇatvaṃ tvayā dattaṃ vismṛtaṃ tava māyayā

Translation

纵然我并未真正明了，凡我所曾妄言之语，如今我皆向你顶礼。你亲自赐予我的“为因之位”，我却被你的摩耶所迷惑而遗忘了。

Word by Word

• ajānan: not knowing
• ajānan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + a- (उपसर्ग/निषेध) (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; from √jñā with privative a- = ‘not knowing’

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) = ‘even/also’

• yat: whatever (that which)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; correlating with ‘kiṃcit’

• kiṃcit: anything/something
• kiṃcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• pralapya: having babbled/spoken
• pralapya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + lap (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having spoken/uttered (incoherently)’; from √lap with prefix pra-

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• nataḥ: bowed down
• nataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; from √nam = ‘bowed’

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kāraṇatvam: causality/being the cause
• kāraṇatvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa + -tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; abstract noun = ‘state of being a cause’

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• dattam: given
• dattam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with ‘kāraṇatvam’

• vismṛtam: forgotten
• vismṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with ‘kāraṇatvam’ = ‘forgotten’

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• māyayā: by (your) māyā/illusion
• māyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights māyā as Śiva’s veiling power; pilgrimage/darśana is framed as remembrance (smaraṇa) that breaks forgetfulness and restores right relation to Pati.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches humility before Pati (Shiva): even exalted beings can be veiled by Māyā, and liberation begins with surrender, confession of ignorance, and turning back to the Supreme Lord who alone is the ultimate cause.

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

Bowing to Shiva after misguided speech reflects the devotee’s return to right vision—approaching Saguna Shiva (often as the Linga) with reverence, acknowledging that all powers and roles (even creatorhood) depend on Him.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice śaraṇāgati (surrender) with japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and repentance for careless speech, cultivating steady awareness that Māyā veils the mind unless anchored in Shiva-bhakti.