Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

मन्वंतरेषु सर्वेषु सर्गसंहारवृत्तयः । प्रायः समाभवंतीति तर्कः कार्यो विजानता

Transliteration

manvaṃtareṣu sarveṣu sargasaṃhāravṛttayaḥ | prāyaḥ samābhavaṃtīti tarkaḥ kāryo vijānatā

Translation

In allen Manvantaras kehren die Vorgänge von Schöpfung und Auflösung zumeist in ähnlicher Weise wieder; daher soll der Einsichtige mit rechtem Denken darüber Klarheit gewinnen.

Word by Word

• मन्वन्तरेषु: in (all) Manvantaras
• मन्वन्तरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; मन्वन्तरेषु इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सर्ग-संहार-वृत्तयः: the processes of creation and dissolution
• सर्ग-संहार-वृत्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (copulative)

• प्रायः: generally, for the most part
• प्रायः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: generally/mostly)

• समाभवन्ति: occur, come about
• समाभवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+√भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

• तर्कः: reasoning, inference
• तर्कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्यः: to be applied/undertaken
• कार्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तर्कः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; विधेय (to be done)

• विजानता: by the knower, by one who understands
• विजानता: Karana (करण/Agent-instrumental; doer expressed in instr.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि+√ज्ञा (धातु) से 'विजानत्' (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक—'विजानता' = 'by one who knows'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: manvantara-cycles; recurring sarga–saṃhāra patterns

Characters & Entities

• Manu

FAQs

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

It points to the patterned, cyclical nature of cosmic creation and dissolution, encouraging the seeker to use disciplined inquiry to see beyond recurring phenomena and orient toward Shiva (Pati) as the stable ground of liberation.

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

By emphasizing recurring cosmic cycles, it directs devotion toward the Linga as the enduring symbol of Shiva beyond changing creations—Saguna worship steadies the mind while one understands the impermanent rhythm of sarga and saṁhāra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A contemplative practice is implied: reflect on the rise and fall of worlds while doing japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), using bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudraksha as supports for steadiness and vairagya.