Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

अहमेवादिकर्तास्य हर्ता च परिपालकः । भवानपि ममैवांगादवतीर्णः पुराव्ययात्

Transliteration

ahamevādikartāsya hartā ca paripālakaḥ | bhavānapi mamaivāṃgādavatīrṇaḥ purāvyayāt

Translation

„Ich allein bin der uranfängliche Schöpfer dieses Universums, sein Zurücknehmer bei der Auflösung und sein Beschützer. Auch du bist einst aus einem Meiner eigenen Glieder herabgestiegen — aus Mir, dem Unvergänglichen.“

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person pronoun), एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative)

• एव: indeed/alone
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• आदि-कर्ता: the prime creator
• आदि-कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/निर्धारणार्थ: ‘आदौ कर्ता’/prime creator)

• अस्य: of this (world/being)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th case/Genitive)

• हर्ता: destroyer
• हर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √हृ धातु-जन्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परि-पालकः: protector
• परि-पालकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग) + पालक (प्रातिपदिक; √पाल् धातु-जन्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• भवान्: you (honored)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• अङ्गात्: from (my) limb/body
• अङ्गात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, पञ्चमी (5th case/Ablative)

• अवतीर्णः: descended/incarnated
• अवतीर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√तॄ (धातु) → अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘descended’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• अव्ययात्: from the imperishable (source)
• अव्ययात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, पञ्चमी (Ablative); ‘अव्यय’ = imperishable (Brahman)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-cycle governance (implied)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse establishes Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who performs creation, preservation, and dissolution—while also affirming His imperishable transcendence. It points the seeker toward surrender to Shiva as the ultimate source and refuge beyond change.

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

By declaring Shiva as the cosmic governor and imperishable reality, the verse supports Linga worship as a Saguna focus for the mind: the Linga symbolizes the one Lord who pervades all functions yet remains untouched, enabling devotion to lead toward realization of His transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner ruler (Pati) while chanting the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and contemplate the three cosmic acts (sṛṣṭi, sthiti, saṃhāra) as movements within His imperishable presence; Tripuṇḍra and Rudrāksha may be adopted as Shaiva supports to steadiness and remembrance.