Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara

Devanagari script

त्वं हि सर्वजगद्भर्तुश्शिवस्य परमात्मनः । अनादिमध्यनिधना शक्तिराद्या सनातनी

Transliteration

tvaṃ hi sarvajagadbhartuśśivasya paramātmanaḥ | anādimadhyanidhanā śaktirādyā sanātanī

Translation

Du bist wahrlich die uranfängliche, ewige Śakti Śivas, des höchsten Selbst, des Erhalters des ganzen Universums—ohne Anfang, ohne Mitte, ohne Ende.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• सर्वजगद्भर्तुः: of the lord of the entire world
• सर्वजगद्भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + जगत् + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of the bearer/lord of all the world’)

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः: कर्मधारय (‘of the Supreme Self’)

• अनादिमध्यनिधना: beginningless, middleless, endless
• अनादिमध्यनिधना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि + मध्य + निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (नञ्-पूर्वपद): ‘without beginning, middle, and end’ (qualifying शक्तिः)

• शक्तिः: Power; Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative with त्वम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आद्या: primordial; first
• आद्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सनातनी: eternal
• सनातनी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, describing Śiva’s eternal Śakti—Pārvatī/Devī)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tvaṃ hi sarvajagadbhartuś śivasya paramātmanaḥ | anādimadhyanidhanā śaktir ādyā sanātanī ||

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic sustenance implied: Śiva as jagadbhartṛ; Śakti as beginningless continuum.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It affirms that Devī (Śakti) is inseparable from Śiva, the Supreme Self and cosmic sustainer, and that her power is eternal—pointing to the Shaiva view that liberation arises through the grace of Pati (Śiva) together with his ever-present Śakti.

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

Linga worship honors Śiva as the transcendent Paramātman, while this verse clarifies that his manifest, worshipful presence (saguṇa upāsanā) is never without Śakti—hence devotion to Śiva naturally includes reverence for Devī as his eternal power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva with Śakti as one reality (Ardhanārīśvara-bhāva) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating the insight that the Lord’s sustaining grace operates through his eternal Śakti.