Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause

Devanagari script

सत्त्वं रजश्च ब्रह्मा च कालत्वे च तमो रजः । विष्णुत्वे केवलं सत्त्वं गुणवृद्धिस्त्रिधा विभौ

Transliteration

sattvaṃ rajaśca brahmā ca kālatve ca tamo rajaḥ | viṣṇutve kevalaṃ sattvaṃ guṇavṛddhistridhā vibhau

Translation

في حال البراهميّة (Brahmāhood) يكون السَّتْفَة (sattva) والرَّجَس (rajas)؛ وفي حال الزمان كالا (Kāla) يكون التَّمَس (tamas) والرَّجَس. أمّا في حال الفِشنويّة (Viṣṇuhood) فالسَّتْفَة وحدها. وهكذا، في الربّ الشامل لكلّ شيء، يكون ازدياد الغونات (guṇa) وتغلّبها الظاهر على ثلاثة أنحاء.

Word by Word

• sattvam: Sattva guna
• sattvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• rajaḥ: Rajas guna
• rajaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• brahmā: Lord Brahma
• brahmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kālatve: in the state of Time
• kālatve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tamaḥ: Tamas guna
• tamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• viṣṇutve: in the state of Vishnu
• viṣṇutve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇutva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• kevalam: only/pure
• kevalam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• guṇa-vṛddhiḥ: increase of gunas
• guṇa-vṛddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa, vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• vibhau: in the Lord
• vibhau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Kala

FAQs

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

It explains that the cosmic roles (creation, preservation, time/dissolution) manifest through different predominances of the three guṇas, while the supreme Lord (Śiva) remains the all-pervading source who governs these guṇic functions.

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

Worship of the Liṅga/Saguṇa Śiva is worship of the Lord who transcends the guṇas yet empowers their threefold operation; devotion centers on Śiva as the master of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Kāla rather than on guṇic nature itself.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is guṇa-śuddhi through japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa, cultivating sattva while aiming to transcend all three guṇas in Śiva-consciousness.