Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

यत्तत्स्मृतं कारणमप्रमेयं ब्रह्मा प्रधानं प्रकृतेः प्रसूतिः । अनादिमध्यान्तमनन्तवीर्यं शुक्लं सुरक्तं पुरुषेण युक्तम्

Transliteration

yattatsmṛtaṃ kāraṇamaprameyaṃ brahmā pradhānaṃ prakṛteḥ prasūtiḥ | anādimadhyāntamanantavīryaṃ śuklaṃ suraktaṃ puruṣeṇa yuktam

Translation

Das, was als das unermessliche Kausalprinzip erinnert wird—Brahman genannt, das Pradhāna (die uranfängliche Matrix), die Quelle, aus der Prakṛti hervorgeht—hat weder Anfang noch Mitte noch Ende und besitzt unendliche Kraft. Es wird als rein (weiß) und zugleich als höchst dynamisch (rot) beschrieben und ist mit Puruṣa (dem bewussten Prinzip) vereint.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (correlative)

• स्मृतम्: is called / is remembered as
• स्मृतम्: क्रियापद-विशेषण (Predicate participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘called/remembered’

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: सम्बन्ध (Predicate nominal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अ-प्रमेयम्: immeasurable / unknowable
• अ-प्रमेयम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + प्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासः (negation)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā / Brahman (as named)
• ब्रह्मा: सम्बन्ध (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक ‘ब्रह्मन्’ का प्रथमा एकवचन रूप ‘ब्रह्मा’)

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानम्: सम्बन्ध (Predicate nominal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakṛti
• प्रकृतेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• प्रसूतिः: origin / production
• प्रसूतिः: सम्बन्ध (Predicate nominal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसूतिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अ-आदि-मध्य-अन्तम्: without beginning, middle, or end
• अ-आदि-मध्य-अन्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक तत्पुरुषः—‘आदि-मध्य-अन्त-रहितम्’ (without beginning, middle, end)

• अ-नन्त-वीर्यम्: of infinite power
• अ-नन्त-वीर्यम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) → अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनन्तं वीर्यं यस्य)

• शुक्लम्: white
• शुक्लम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सु-रक्तम्: deep red
• सु-रक्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-पूर्वक कर्मधारयः (well-red)

• पुरुषेण: with the Puruṣa
• पुरुषेण: सहकारक/करण (Association/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• युक्तम्: joined / endowed
• युक्तम्: क्रियापद-विशेषण (Predicate participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘joined/associated’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: primordial causal principle described as beyond measure; polarity of śukla/surakta and union with puruṣa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahman
• Pradhana
• Prakriti
• Purusha

FAQs

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

It points to the Supreme Cause that transcends measurement and time, yet manifests the cosmos through the union of consciousness (Puruṣa) and the primordial matrix (Pradhāna/Prakṛti). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it supports the vision of Pati (the Supreme Lord, Shiva) as the inexhaustible source whose power governs both pure transcendence and active creation.

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

The verse bridges Nirguṇa and Saguṇa: the causal reality is beyond measure (Nirguṇa), yet also described through qualities like purity and dynamic power (Saguṇa indications). Linga worship similarly honors Shiva as the formless ground while using a sacred form as the focus for devotion and realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the timeless cause and the indwelling consciousness, using japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady awareness; contemplate the union of awareness (Puruṣa) and nature (Prakṛti) as governed and transcended by Shiva.