Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 61

शिवशक्त्यैक्य-तत्त्वविचारः / Inquiry into the Unity of Śiva and Śakti

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

प्राणः पिनाकी सर्वेषां प्राणिनां भगवान्प्रभुः । प्राणस्थितिस्तु सर्वेषामंबिका चांबुरूपिणी

Transliteration

prāṇaḥ pinākī sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ bhagavānprabhuḥ | prāṇasthitistu sarveṣāmaṃbikā cāṃburūpiṇī

Translation

对一切众生而言，吉祥的主——持弓名“Pinākī”的湿婆（Śiva）即是Prāṇa：内住的生命之息与至上主宰。又对一切众生而言，维系此Prāṇa的根基是安比迦（Ambikā，帕尔瓦蒂Pārvatī），其形为水，滋养、扶持而赐予生命。

Word by Word

• प्राणः: life-breath; vital air
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पिनाकी: the bearer of Pināka (Śiva)
• पिनाकी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य-समनाधिकरण (appositional)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वेषाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य (of all living beings)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणवत्/समनाधिकरण

• प्रभुः: master; lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समनाधिकरण (apposition to भगवान्/प्राणः)

• प्राणस्थितिः: the sustaining presence of life-breath
• प्राणस्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्राणस्य स्थितिः)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• अम्बिका: Ambikā (Pārvatī)
• अम्बिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समनाधिकरण (with प्राणस्थितिः)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अम्बुरूपिणी: she whose form is water
• अम्बुरूपिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अम्बोः रूपं यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It identifies Śiva as the inner Prāṇa (Pati, the supreme Lord) within all beings, while Ambikā is taught as the sustaining Śakti that supports life—showing the inseparable Shiva–Shakti principle behind existence.

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

In Saguna worship, the Liṅga signifies Śiva as the indwelling ruler present in all; this verse supports that contemplation by equating Him with prāṇa itself, while honoring Ambikā as His manifest sustaining power in the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prāṇa-dhyāna with japa: while breathing, repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and contemplate Śiva as the life within the breath, offering the breath’s steadiness to Him and the sustaining flow to Ambikā.