Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मत्वे सृजते लोकान् कालत्वे संक्षिपत्यपि । पुरुषत्वे ऽत्युदासीनः कर्म च त्रिविधं विभोः

Transliteration

brahmatve sṛjate lokān kālatve saṃkṣipatyapi | puruṣatve 'tyudāsīnaḥ karma ca trividhaṃ vibhoḥ

Translation

Wenn Er den Zustand des Brahmā-Seins annimmt, erschafft Er die Welten; wenn Er den Zustand des Kāla, der Zeit, annimmt, zieht Er sie auch wieder ein. Und wenn Er als höchster Puruṣa verweilt, bleibt Er völlig unbeteiligt und unangehaftet. So ist das Wirken des Herrn dreifach.

Word by Word

• brahmatve: in the state of Brahma
• brahmatve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sṛjate: creates
• sṛjate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• lokān: the worlds
• lokān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• kālatve: in the state of Time
• kālatve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• saṃkṣipati: withdraws/destroys
• saṃkṣipati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + kṣip (धातु)
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• api: also
• api: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• puruṣatve: in the state of Purusha
• puruṣatve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ati-udāsīnaḥ: very indifferent
• ati-udāsīnaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati, udāsīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• karma: action
• karma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• trividham: of three kinds
• trividham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: trividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vibhoḥ: of the Lord
• vibhoḥ: Sambandha (Relationship/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cyclic creation and dissolution (kalpa-pralaya motif)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the single Supreme Reality (Pati) who performs creation and dissolution through roles like Brahmā and Time, yet in His highest truth as Puruṣa remains untouched by karma—pointing the seeker toward liberation through recognizing His transcendence.

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

Linga worship focuses the mind on Shiva as the one Lord behind all cosmic functions: the creator (brahmatva), the dissolver as Time (kālatva), and the transcendent witness (puruṣatva). Saguna worship trains devotion toward that one Reality who appears with functions yet is ultimately beyond them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner witness who is beyond attachment, while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; contemplate the threefold cosmic function and rest the mind in the Puruṣa aspect that is free from karma.