Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

आकाशात्स्पर्श उत्पन्नः स्पर्शाद्वायुसमुद्भवः । वायो रूपं ततस्तेजस्तेजसो रससंभवः

Transliteration

ākāśātsparśa utpannaḥ sparśādvāyusamudbhavaḥ | vāyo rūpaṃ tatastejastejaso rasasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

Aus ākāśa (Äther/Raum) entsteht das feine Prinzip der Berührung (sparśa); aus der Berührung wird vāyu (Luft) geboren. Aus der Luft geht das Prinzip der Gestalt (rūpa) hervor, und daraus entsteht tejas (Feuer); aus dem Feuer wird das Prinzip des Geschmacks (rasa) hervorgebracht.

Word by Word

• आकाशात्: from ether (ākāśa)
• आकाशात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• स्पर्शः: touch
• स्पर्शः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्पन्नः: arisen/produced
• उत्पन्नः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्पर्शात्: from touch
• स्पर्शात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वायुः: air/wind
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुद्भवः: arising/coming forth
• समुद्भवः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + भू (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (agentive/nominal derivative in -अ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘समुद्भवन्/समुद्भूतः’

• वायोः: of air
• वायोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• रूपम्: form/colour
• रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; यहाँ प्रथमा (as next product)

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादानार्थ-अव्यय (adverb: then/from that)

• तेजः: fire/brightness (tejas)
• तेजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यहाँ प्रथमा

• तेजसः: of tejas (fire)
• तेजसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रस-संभवः: the arising of taste
• रस-संभवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (रसस्य संभवः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva cosmology to the sages at Naimisharanya in the Vayu Samhita context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines the progressive unfolding of subtle sense-principles (tanmātras) and gross elements, guiding the seeker to see that sensory experience is a produced, dependent reality—while Shiva as Pati is the transcendent ground beyond these evolutes.

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

The Linga is revered as the sign of Shiva who is beyond the elemental chain described here; worship of Saguna Shiva uses form, fire (lamp), fragrance, and offerings within the elements, while contemplation recognizes Shiva as the Lord who is not limited by them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and tattva-dhyāna: observe touch, form, and taste as transient evolutes while repeating the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering the senses into Shiva in inner worship.