Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

परस्य दुर्‍निर्णयः—षट्कुलीयमुनिविवादः तथा ब्रह्मदर्शनार्थं मेरुप्रयाणम् | The Dispute of the Six-Lineage Sages on the Supreme and Their Journey to Brahmā at Meru

Devanagari script

मुनय ऊचुः । नमस्त्रिमूर्तये तुभ्यं सर्गस्थित्यंतहेतवे । पुरुषाय पुराणाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने

Transliteration

munaya ūcuḥ | namastrimūrtaye tubhyaṃ sargasthityaṃtahetave | puruṣāya purāṇāya brahmaṇe paramātmane

Translation

Die Weisen sprachen: Verehrung Dir, o Herr der Trimūrti, Ursache von Schöpfung, Erhaltung und Auflösung. Verehrung Dir, dem uranfänglichen Puruṣa, dem Uralten — Brahman selbst, dem Paramātman, dem höchsten Selbst.

Word by Word

• मुनयः: the sages
• मुनयः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna) सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक निपात/उद्गार (salutatory indeclinable), प्रायः चतुर्थ्यर्थे ("to")

• त्रि-मूर्तये: to the three-formed (Lord)
• त्रि-मूर्तये: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास ("three-formed"); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• सर्ग-स्थिति-अन्त-हेतवे: to the cause of creation, sustenance, and dissolution
• सर्ग-स्थिति-अन्त-हेतवे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (सर्ग-स्थिति-अन्त) तत्पुरुषेण हेतौ ("cause of creation, maintenance, and end"); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• पुरुषाय: to the Person (Puruṣa)
• पुरुषाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• पुराणाय: to the ancient one
• पुराणाय: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahman
• ब्रह्मणे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (ब्रह्मन्), चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• परम-आत्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परम-आत्मने: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ("supreme Self"); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

Speaker

Sages (Munis) at Naimisharanya

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमस्त्रिमूर्तये तुभ्यं सर्गस्थित्यंतहेतवे । पुरुषाय पुराणाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Trimurti
• Paramatman
• Brahman
• Purusha

FAQs

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

This verse establishes Shiva as Pati—the Supreme Lord—who transcends yet governs the three cosmic acts (creation, preservation, dissolution). By saluting Him as Brahman and Paramatman, the sages affirm that liberation comes through recognizing Shiva as the inner Self and ultimate reality.

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

Calling Shiva the cause of sarga-sthiti-antya supports Saguna worship—approaching Him as the Lord of cosmic functions—while naming Him Brahman and Paramatman points to Nirguna realization. In Shiva Purana practice, the Linga unites both: a tangible focus for devotion that leads toward the formless Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is to begin worship with namaskāra and dhyāna on Shiva as both cosmic Lord (Trimūrti cause) and indwelling Self (Paramatman), ideally accompanied by japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”