Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21
सर्गविभागवर्णनम्
Classification of Creation: the Nine Sargas and the Streams of Beings
ईश्वरासक्तमनसो न चक्रुः सृष्टये मतिम् । तेषु सृष्ट्यनपेक्षेषु गतेषु सनकादिषु । स्रष्टुकामः पुनर्ब्रह्मा तताप परमं तपः । तस्यैवं तप्यमानस्य न किंचित्समवर्तत
īśvarāsaktamanaso na cakruḥ sṛṣṭaye matim | teṣu sṛṣṭyanapekṣeṣu gateṣu sanakādiṣu | sraṣṭukāmaḥ punarbrahmā tatāpa paramaṃ tapaḥ | tasyaivaṃ tapyamānasya na kiṃcitsamavartata
إذ كانت قلوبهم متعلّقة بالإيشڤرا (Īśvara)، لم يوجّهوا همّتهم إلى الخلق. فلما مضى سَنَكَ ومن معه، غير مبالين بعمل الإيجاد، عاد براهما—وهو لا يزال راغباً في الخلق—إلى ممارسة التقشّف الأسمى (tapas). ومع ذلك، وهو يتقشّف على هذا النحو، لم يتجلَّ شيءٌ البتّة.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Role: liberating
Cosmic Event: creative standstill: tapas without manifestation until higher sanction/impulse intervenes
FAQs
It highlights that when the mind is absorbed in Īśvara (Shiva as Pati), worldly functions like creation lose their pull; and even Brahmā’s effort cannot yield results unless aligned with the Lord’s will—pointing to Shiva’s supremacy as the inner cause of manifestation.
The verse implies that mere activity (even divine activity like Brahmā’s tapas for creation) is insufficient without orientation to Īśvara; Linga-worship trains the devotee to recognize Shiva as the unseen ground of all emergence, making action fruitful through devotion and surrender.
The takeaway is Īśvara-smaraṇa and dhyāna—steady absorption in Shiva—supported by Shaiva aids like japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined tapas, so that effort becomes efficacious through divine grace.