Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

ततः केनचिदंशेन मूर्तिमाविश्य कामपि । अर्धनारीश्वरो भूत्वा ययौ देवस्स्वयं हरः

Transliteration

tataḥ kenacidaṃśena mūrtimāviśya kāmapi | ardhanārīśvaro bhūtvā yayau devassvayaṃ haraḥ

Translation

ثم إن الرب هارا نفسه، بجزء من قدرته، دخل في هيئةٍ ما وتجلّى فيها؛ فصار أَردَهناريشڤرا—السيد نصفه امرأة—ومضى قُدُمًا بوصفه ديفا.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• केनचित्: by some
• केनचित्: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite: by some)

• अंशेन: by a portion
• अंशेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• मूर्तिम्: a form
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आविश्य: having entered
• आविश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्ग: आ-; अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle)

• काम्: some (one)
• काम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: का (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (some/any)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• अर्धनारीश्वरः: Ardhanārīśvara (Lord half-woman)
• अर्धनारीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध + नारी + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थ-तत्पुरुषः (अर्धं नारी यस्य/अर्धनारी-ईश्वरः)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थक-अव्यय (reflexive adverb: himself)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Hara)
• Ardhanarishvara

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, though transcendent (Pati), freely manifests through His power (Śakti) for the cosmos; Ardhanārīśvara symbolizes the non-dual unity of consciousness and power, the ground for liberation when bondage (pāśa) is removed.

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

Ardhanārīśvara is a Saguna manifestation—Śiva made approachable in form—guiding devotees from form-based worship (including Liṅga-upāsanā) toward insight into the inseparable Śiva-Śakti reality behind all forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Ardhanārīśvara while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating inner balance of Śiva (still awareness) and Śakti (dynamic energy), supported by Tripuṇḍra bhasma and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and devotion.