Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 77
सर्गविभागवर्णनम्
Classification of Creation: the Nine Sargas and the Streams of Beings
वक्त्रात्तस्य ब्रह्मणास्संप्रसूतास्तद्वक्षसः क्षत्रियाः पूर्वभागात् । वैश्या उरुभ्यां तस्य पद्भ्यां च शूद्राः सर्वे वर्णा गात्रतः संप्रसूताः
vaktrāttasya brahmaṇāssaṃprasūtāstadvakṣasaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pūrvabhāgāt | vaiśyā urubhyāṃ tasya padbhyāṃ ca śūdrāḥ sarve varṇā gātrataḥ saṃprasūtāḥ
Aus seinem Mund wurden die Brāhmaṇas hervorgebracht; aus seiner Brust — aus dem vorderen Teil — die Kṣatriyas. Aus seinen Schenkeln entstanden die Vaiśyas, und aus seinen Füßen die Śūdras. So wurden alle varṇas aus seinem eigenen Leib offenbar.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Vāyavīya teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It presents society as arising from a single cosmic source, implying an organic unity of all beings; in Shaiva understanding, external roles (varna and duties) are secondary to inner devotion and purification that lead the bound soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati).
By showing all orders as born from one body, it supports the Shaiva view that all are eligible to approach Saguna Shiva through right conduct and devotion; Linga-worship centers the seeker on the one Lord who transcends bodily distinctions while sustaining worldly order.
The practical takeaway is to sanctify one’s embodied life through Shaiva discipline—daily remembrance of Shiva with the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and purity practices like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as inner humility—while performing one’s duties without pride.