Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

वीरभद्रक्रोधशमनं देवस्तुतिश्च

Pacification of Vīrabhadra and the Gods’ Hymn

Devanagari script

कर्ता भर्ता च हर्ता च त्वमेव जगतां प्रभो । मया ज्ञातं विशेषेण विष्ण्वादिसकलेश्वरः

Transliteration

kartā bhartā ca hartā ca tvameva jagatāṃ prabho | mayā jñātaṃ viśeṣeṇa viṣṇvādisakaleśvaraḥ

Translation

O Herr der Welten, Du allein bist Schöpfer, Erhalter und der, der alles wieder zurücknimmt. Ich habe es gewiss erkannt: Du bist der höchste Herr sogar über Viṣṇu und alle anderen göttlichen Lenker.

Word by Word

• कर्त्ता: creator/doer
• कर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृ-शब्दः (agent noun)

• भर्त्ता: sustainer/supporter
• भर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भर्तृ-शब्दः (supporter/lord)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• हर्त्ता: destroyer/remover
• हर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; हर्तृ-शब्दः (remover/taker away)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/alone
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ज्ञातम्: known/realized
• ज्ञातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ज्ञात’ = known/realized

• विशेषेण: especially/in particular
• विशेषेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—‘विशेषेण’ = especially

• विष्णु-आदि-सकल-ईश्वरः: the lord of all (including Viṣṇu etc.)
• विष्णु-आदि-सकल-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + सकल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः—‘विष्ण्वादीनां सकलानां ईश्वरः’ (lord of all, beginning with Viṣṇu)

Speaker

A devotee/sage addressing Lord Shiva within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse (Shaiva philosophical narration as relayed by Suta)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; a doctrinal assertion of Śiva as kartā-bhartā-hartā, aligning with Siddhānta’s Pati as efficient cause and sovereign of cosmic functions.

Significance: Establishes īśvaratva (supreme lordship) and supports exclusive refuge in Śiva beyond sectarian rivalry.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: kartā bhartā ca hartā ca tvameva jagatāṃ prabho | mayā jñātaṃ viśeṣeṇa viṣṇvādisakaleśvaraḥ

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It affirms the Shaiva Siddhanta standpoint that Shiva (Pati) is the ultimate sovereign reality who performs creation, maintenance, and withdrawal, and that all other divine powers function under His lordship—guiding the soul toward surrender and liberation.

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

The verse supports Saguna devotion by identifying a single supreme Lord behind all cosmic functions; in Linga worship, the devotee contemplates this one Pati who is present as the worshipful sign (Liṅga) while also transcending all forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily Shiva-upasana with Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while meditating on Shiva as the one source of creation, sustenance, and dissolution—strengthening exclusive devotion (ananya-bhakti).