Shloka 9

पुराणश्रवणप्रस्तावः

Prologue to the Recitation of the Śaiva Purāṇa

Devanagari script

वाग्भिर्विनयगर्भाभिः सर्वे प्रांजलयोऽब्रुवन् । त्वं हि सर्वजगद्धाता सर्वकारणकारणम्

Transliteration

vāgbhirvinayagarbhābhiḥ sarve prāṃjalayo'bruvan | tvaṃ hi sarvajagaddhātā sarvakāraṇakāraṇam

Translation

ثمّ إنهم جميعًا، بأكفٍّ مضمومة، نطقوا بكلماتٍ مفعمةٍ بالتواضع: «أنت حقًّا حامِلُ الكون كلّه، وعلّةُ العلل كلّها».

Word by Word

• वाग्भिः: with words
• वाग्भिः: करण (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• विनय: humility
• विनय: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• गर्भाभिः: filled with
• गर्भाभिः: करण (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘having as content/filled with’ (समासोत्तरपद)

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• प्राञ्जलयः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलयः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘with joined palms’

• अब्रुवन्: said
• अब्रुवन्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: सम्बोधन/कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्धक (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुबोधक अव्यय (emphatic/causal particle)

• सर्व: of all
• सर्व: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• जगत्: worlds, universe
• जगत्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• धाता: creator
• धाता: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘creator/sustainer’

• सर्व: of all
• सर्व: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• कारण: causes
• कारण: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘the cause’ (predicate nominative/accusative)

Speaker

The assembled devas and sages (addressing Lord Shiva as Viśveśvara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The epithet ‘sarvakāraṇakāraṇam’ aligns with Kāśī’s Viśvanātha theology: Śiva as the inner Lord of all worlds, the ultimate causal ground; the Purāṇic Kāśī-māhātmya tradition presents Kāśī as upheld by Śiva beyond ordinary cosmic causality.

Significance: Darśana of Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha is held to grant liberation-oriented merit (mokṣa-pravṛtti), especially when approached with vinaya (humility) and śaraṇāgati (surrender).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tvaṃ hi sarvajagaddhātā sarvakāraṇakāraṇam

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Shiva (Viśveśvara) as Pati—the supreme Lord who sustains the cosmos and stands as the ultimate source behind all secondary causes, inspiring humble bhakti and surrender.

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

By praising Shiva as the “cause of causes,” the verse supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā) as a direct approach to the supreme Reality who manifests and governs the universe while remaining transcendent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is añjali (folded-hands reverence) with vinaya (humility), paired with Shiva-nāma japa—especially the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an attitude of surrender to the cosmic Lord.