Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

एवं त्रिधा विभिन्नत्वाद्ब्रह्मा त्रिगुण उच्यते । चतुर्धा प्रविभक्तत्वाच्चातुर्व्यूहः प्रकीर्तितः

Transliteration

evaṃ tridhā vibhinnatvādbrahmā triguṇa ucyate | caturdhā pravibhaktatvāccāturvyūhaḥ prakīrtitaḥ

Translation

وهكذا، لأنّ براهمَا (Brahmā) يتمايز على ثلاثة أنحاء، قيل إنّه مؤلَّف من الغونات الثلاث (triguṇa)؛ ولأنّه ينقسم على أربعة أنحاء، اشتهر باسم «چاتورفيوها» (cāturvyūha)، أي الفيض أو التجلّي الرباعي.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

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

• vibhinnatvāt: due to being divided
• vibhinnatvāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhinnatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

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

• triguṇaḥ: having three gunas
• triguṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri, guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Lat (Present), Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• caturdhā: in four ways
• caturdhā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: caturdhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• pravibhaktatvāt: due to being well-divided
• pravibhaktatvāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pravibhaktatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• cāturvyūhaḥ: the four-fold manifestation
• cāturvyūhaḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturvyūha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• prakīrtitaḥ: proclaimed
• prakīrtitaḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + kṛt (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that the creator-function (Brahmā) operates within differentiation—threefold through the guṇas and fourfold through functional expansion—implying that ultimate liberation (moksha) requires turning toward Shiva as Pati, who transcends guṇas and all divided states.

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

By showing that Brahmā is guṇa-bound and functionally divided, the verse indirectly points devotees to Saguna Shiva (often worshiped as the Linga) as the stable, supreme refuge beyond changing guṇas—supporting Linga-upāsanā as a direct means to grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Nirgūṇa-Pati beyond the three guṇas while performing Linga worship with the Panchākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), using bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to cultivate dispassion from guṇa-driven identity.