Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

शिवशक्त्यैक्य-तत्त्वविचारः / Inquiry into the Unity of Śiva and Śakti

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

शक्तिः साक्षान्महादेवी महादेवश्च शक्तिमान् । तयोर्विभूतिलेशो वै सर्वमेतच्चराचरम्

Transliteration

śaktiḥ sākṣānmahādevī mahādevaśca śaktimān | tayorvibhūtileśo vai sarvametaccarācaram

Translation

শক্তি স্বয়ং মহাদেবী, আর মহাদেব শক্তিমান। এই সমগ্র চরাচর জগৎ সেই দিব্য যুগলের বিভূতির কেবল এক লেশমাত্র।

Word by Word

• शक्तिः: Śakti (Power/Goddess)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly/indeed
• साक्षात्: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण/निपात (adverb/particle: 'directly, indeed')

• महादेवी: the Great Goddess
• महादेवी: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महती देवी)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Great God)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शक्तिमान्: possessing power
• शक्तिमान्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति + मतुप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• विभूति-लेशः: a small portion of (their) majesty
• विभूति-लेशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति + लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विभूतेः लेशः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to सर्वम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चर-अचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चर-अचरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (चरं च अचरं च)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Mahādevī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva (Pati) and Śakti are inseparable, and the entire cosmos is only a small manifestation of their divine power—guiding the seeker to see the world as dependent on the Supreme rather than independent reality.

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

The Liṅga signifies Śiva’s supreme reality, while Śakti is the dynamic power through which His grace, creation, and revelation occur; worship of Saguna Śiva commonly honors this unity as Ardhanārīśvara or as Śiva with Devī.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the inseparability of Śiva-Śakti while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and cultivate reverence for all beings as expressions of their vibhūti.