Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

एवमेव विवादोभूद्ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोः परस्परम् । अभवच्च महायुद्धं भैरवं रोमहर्षणम्

Transliteration

evameva vivādobhūdbrahmaviṣṇvoḥ parasparam | abhavacca mahāyuddhaṃ bhairavaṃ romaharṣaṇam

Translation

So entstand ein Streit zwischen Brahmā und Viṣṇu, gegeneinander gerichtet; und es entbrannte ein großer Kampf—schrecklich und haarsträubend. Aus śaivischer Sicht offenbart dieser Zusammenstoß die Begrenztheit weltlicher Souveränität, wenn sie nicht in der Anerkennung des höchsten Herrn (Pati), Śiva, verankert ist; er allein löst solche Rivalität, indem er die höhere Wahrheit enthüllt.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• विवादः: dispute
• विवादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• अभूत्: arose/occurred
• अभूत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/अद्यतनभूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• विष्ण्वोः: of Viṣṇu (and)
• विष्ण्वोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); द्विवचन

• परस्परम्: mutually/with each other
• परस्परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् अव्ययप्रयोग; परस्पर-शब्दः क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (reciprocal adverb)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महा-युद्धम्: a great battle
• महा-युद्धम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative); एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमास (great + battle)

• भैरवम्: terrible
• भैरवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महायुद्धम्)

• रोम-हर्षणम्: hair-raising
• रोम-हर्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोमन् + हर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (romāṇāṃ harṣaṇam = causing hair to bristle); विशेषण (qualifying महायुद्धम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It shows that even exalted powers like Brahmā and Viṣṇu can fall into rivalry when authority is claimed through ego; Shaiva teaching points beyond such conflict to Śiva as the Supreme Pati, the harmonizing Reality that dissolves duality and restores right understanding.

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

In the larger Shiva Purana context, such disputes are typically resolved when Śiva manifests (often as the Linga/column of light) to reveal the limits of pride and the supremacy of the Lord; worship of Saguna Śiva (as Linga or personal form) becomes the practical means to align the mind with that higher truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to counter rivalry and agitation with Śiva-smaraṇa: japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), coupled with a calm, sattvic discipline (e.g., Tripuṇḍra with bhasma and daily Linga-pūjā) to cultivate humility and inner peace.