Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti

Devanagari script

कलाभिः पञ्चभिर्व्याप्तं तस्माद्विश्वमिदं जगत् । अव्यक्तं कारणं यत्तदात्मना समनुष्ठितम्

Transliteration

kalābhiḥ pañcabhirvyāptaṃ tasmādviśvamidaṃ jagat | avyaktaṃ kāraṇaṃ yattadātmanā samanuṣṭhitam

Translation

Darum ist dieses ganze Weltall von den fünf Kalās (göttlichen Potenzen) durchdrungen; und jene unmanifestierte Ursache (avyakta-kāraṇa) ist durch das Selbst—durch den Herrn als inneren Lenker—eingesetzt und gelenkt.

Word by Word

• kalābhiḥ: by parts/aspects
• kalābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• pañcabhiḥ: by five
• pañcabhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agreeing with kalābhiḥ

• vyāptam: pervaded
• vyāptam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicative with jagat/viśvam

• tasmāt: from that/therefore
• tasmāt: Apādāna/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with viśvam/jagat

• jagat: world
• jagat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• avyaktam: unmanifest
• avyaktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying kāraṇam

• kāraṇam: cause
• kāraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; correlating with tat

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Correlative pronoun; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ātmanā: by the self
• ātmanā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• samanuṣṭhitam: fully carried out/established
• samanuṣṭhitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + anu + sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with yat/tat (kāraṇam)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: immanence of the unmanifest cause through five kalās (pervasive governance of jagat)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the cosmos is not random: it is pervaded by five divine kalās, while the ultimate unmanifest cause is ruled from within by Shiva as the inner Self (Pati), guiding the soul toward liberation.

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

The Linga symbolizes the unmanifest cause (avyakta) made approachable. Worship of Saguna Shiva through the Linga leads the devotee to recognize Shiva as the all-pervading inner ruler behind manifest forms and powers.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the indwelling Self who pervades all through His potencies; mentally offer the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while contemplating the unmanifest source behind all appearances.