Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

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

केनैव चित्रकृत्येन प्रथमं सृज्यते जगत् । तत्त्वं वद महाप्राज्ञ स्वसंदेहापनुत्तये

Transliteration

kenaiva citrakṛtyena prathamaṃ sṛjyate jagat | tattvaṃ vada mahāprājña svasaṃdehāpanuttaye

Translation

„Durch welche wunderbare Tat wird dieses Universum zuerst hervorgebracht? O großer Weiser von tiefem Verstand, sprich das wahre Prinzip (tattva), damit mein Zweifel weiche.“

Word by Word

• kena: by what?/by whom?
• kena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter/Masculine (नपुं/पुं), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/alone
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• citra-kṛtyena: by a wondrous act
• citra-kṛtyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: 'wonderful act/deed'

• prathamam: at first/firstly
• prathamam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण द्वितीया)

• sṛjyate: is created
• sṛjyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sṛj (सृज् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tattvam: the truth/principle
• tattvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vada: tell/speak
• vada: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-prājña: O great sage/wise one
• mahā-prājña: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: 'greatly wise'

• sva-saṃdeha-apanuttaye: for removing (my) doubt
• sva-saṃdeha-apanuttaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक) + apanutti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'for the removal of (my) own doubt'

Speaker

A seeker (disciple-like questioner) addressing a great sage within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse models the paśu’s right approach: humble questioning about sṛṣṭi and tattva, which in Siddhānta culminates in recognizing Pati as the efficient cause and māyā as instrumental cause.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic beginning implied (initial creation)

FAQs

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

It frames the core Shaiva inquiry: what ultimate Reality (tattva) stands behind creation. The verse models the seeker’s humility and the need for right knowledge that dissolves doubt—an essential step toward liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

By asking for the source and principle behind the universe, the verse points to Shiva as the supreme cause (Pati). Linga-worship is a concrete (saguna) focus that leads the mind toward that formless, highest tattva (nirguna) which the sage is asked to reveal.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice implied is śravaṇa (listening to true teaching) and manana (reflective inquiry) to remove doubt; in Shaiva practice this is commonly supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and contemplative meditation on Shiva as the source of creation.