Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

ध्यानप्रकारनिर्णयः / Determination of the Modes of Meditation

on Śrīkaṇṭha-Śiva

Devanagari script

तमसो ऽन्तबहिर्नाशः प्रशान्तिः परिगीयते । बहिरन्तःप्रकाशो यो दीप्तिरित्यभिधीयते

Transliteration

tamaso 'ntabahirnāśaḥ praśāntiḥ parigīyate | bahirantaḥprakāśo yo dīptirityabhidhīyate

Translation

内外黑暗的止息，被赞为“极寂（praśānti）”，即真实的安宁。凡能如光明般照耀，显现外境与内在真我者，名为“辉耀（dīpti）”。

Word by Word

• तमसः: of darkness
• तमसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular

• अन्तः: within, inwardly
• अन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्ययीभावार्थे/अव्यय (adverb)

• बहिः: without, outwardly
• बहिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्यय (adverb)

• नाशः: destruction, removal
• नाशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• प्रशान्तिः: tranquillity, pacification
• प्रशान्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• परिगीयते: is sung/celebrated (as)
• परिगीयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गै (गाय्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — is sung/recited

• बहिः: outwardly
• बहिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्यय (adverb)

• अन्तः: inwardly
• अन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रकाशः: illumination, light
• प्रकाशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Relative pronoun, nominative singular

• दीप्तिः: radiance, brightness
• दीप्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• अभिधीयते: is called/termed
• अभिधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — is called/denoted

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines liberation-oriented peace as the ending of tamas (ignorance) internally and externally, and identifies true spiritual attainment as the dawning of divine illumination that reveals Reality—understood in Shaiva Siddhanta as Shiva’s grace-born clarity.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind toward Shiva as the source of prakāśa (revealing consciousness). Through saguna devotion—ritual, mantra, and reverence—the seeker becomes fit for the inward awakening where darkness is dispelled and Shiva is recognized as the inner light.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate after Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating Shiva as the inner and outer light; support this with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and steady breath to quiet tamas and establish praśānti.