Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

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

नमः प्रधानदेहाय प्रधानक्षोभकारिणे । त्रयोविंशतिभेदेन विकृतायाविकारिणे

Transliteration

namaḥ pradhānadehāya pradhānakṣobhakāriṇe | trayoviṃśatibhedena vikṛtāyāvikāriṇe

Translation

Verehrung Ihm, dessen Leib das Pradhāna (Urnatur) ist, der das Pradhāna zur Offenbarung aufwühlt; der als die Evolute in dreiundzwanzig Gliederungen erscheint, und doch selbst unveränderlich und unmodifiziert bleibt.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna) सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक निपात/उद्गार

• प्रधान-देहाय: to the one whose body is Pradhāna
• प्रधान-देहाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("body/form of Pradhāna"); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• प्रधान-क्षोभ-कारिणे: to the agitator of Pradhāna
• प्रधान-क्षोभ-कारिणे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (प्रधानस्य क्षोभः; तस्य कारिन् = "causer of the agitation of Pradhāna"); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• त्रयोविंशति-भेदेन: by the division into twenty-three (categories)
• त्रयोविंशति-भेदेन: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोविंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ("by division into twenty-three"); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• विकृताय: to the evolved/modified one
• विकृताय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकृत (प्रातिपदिक; वि√कृ (धातु) से क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; विशेषण ("modified/evolved")

• अविकारिणे: to the unchanging one
• अविकारिणे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विशेषण ("unchanging")

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः प्रधानदेहाय प्रधानक्षोभकारिणे । त्रयोविंशतिभेदेन विकृतायाविकारिणे

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic manifestation from Pradhāna (prakṛti) through agitation (kṣobha)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises Shiva as Pati—the Lord who initiates manifestation by stirring Pradhāna, yet remains untouched (avikāri). The seeker learns to distinguish the changing tattvas from the unchanging Lord, which supports liberation-oriented discernment.

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

The Linga signifies Shiva as the immutable reality (avikāri) that supports all manifestation. Even when worshipped with form (saguṇa), the devotee is directed to the truth that Shiva transcends Prakṛti and its transformations.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the changeless witness and Lord of tattvas while repeating a Shiva mantra (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offering the changing mind and senses (tattvas) back into the awareness of the avikāri Pati.