Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

प्राकृतं च यथैश्वर्यं तस्माद्विश्वं यजुर्मयम् । ततोपस्थापयामास सामार्थं दशधात्मनः

Transliteration

prākṛtaṃ ca yathaiśvaryaṃ tasmādviśvaṃ yajurmayam | tatopasthāpayāmāsa sāmārthaṃ daśadhātmanaḥ

Translation

Gemäß Seiner souveränen Herrschaft setzte Er auch die uranfängliche Ordnung der Materie ein. Daraus offenbarte Er das All, durchdrungen vom Yajus‑Prinzip des Opfers; danach begründete Er die wirksame Kraft des zehnfach beseelten kosmischen Gefüges.

Word by Word

• प्राकृतम्: natural, primordial
• प्राकृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (यथैश्वर्यम्)

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

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunction: ‘as/according to’)

• ऐश्वर्यम्: lordship, sovereignty
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—thing considered/established)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from that; therefore
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source—therefrom)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययप्रयोग (ablative used adverbially): ‘from that/therefore’

• विश्वम्: the universe, all
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यजुर्मयम्: made of the Yajus (Yajurveda)
• यजुर्मयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यजुस् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (यजुर्भिः/यजुषा मयम् = ‘consisting of Yajus’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (विश्वम्)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• उपस्थापयामास: he established, set forth
• उपस्थापयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → उपस्थापय (धातु-आधार)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• सामार्थ्यम्: power, capability
• सामार्थ्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशधा: tenfold
• दशधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘tenfold/in ten ways’)

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-sṛṣṭi (ordered manifestation through prākṛta and Vedic-sacrificial principle)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati—the sovereign Lord—who not only brings forth prakṛti (the material order) but also grants the universe its functional power, implying that bondage and liberation both depend on His governance and grace.

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

By describing the universe as 'yajurmayam' (pervaded by sacrificial order), the verse supports Saguna worship: Linga-puja and Vedic-style offerings become a way to align one’s actions with Shiva’s cosmic ordinance and receive His enabling शक्ति (śakti).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform worship as yajña in miniature—offer water, bilva, and mantra to the Shiva-linga with the sense that all action is consecration; mentally dedicate deeds to Shiva (Pati) to purify pasha (bondage) and awaken inner samārthya (spiritual capacity).