Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

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

Devanagari script

विद्याकलास्वघोरं च तथा ब्रह्मसु पञ्चसु । लिंगभागेषु पीठोर्ध्वं बीजिनं कारणत्रये

Transliteration

vidyākalāsvaghoraṃ ca tathā brahmasu pañcasu | liṃgabhāgeṣu pīṭhordhvaṃ bījinaṃ kāraṇatraye

Translation

In den göttlichen Erkenntnissen und Künsten ist Er Aghora; ebenso unter den fünf Brahmanen (den fünf heiligen Prinzipien). In den Teilen des Liṅga, oberhalb des pīṭha (Sockels), ist Er als Bījin, der Samen-Tragende, zu betrachten; und Er waltet über die drei Kausalebenen (kāraṇa‑traya).

Word by Word

• विद्या-कलासु: in the arts/parts of knowledge
• विद्या-कलासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विद्यायाः कलाः)

• अघोरम्: Aghora (aspect/name)
• अघोरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• ब्रह्मसु: in the Brahmas
• ब्रह्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• पञ्चसु: in the five
• पञ्चसु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: सर्वलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• लिङ्ग-भागेषु: in the parts of the liṅga
• लिङ्ग-भागेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य भागाः)

• पीठ-ऊर्ध्वम्: above the pedestal
• पीठ-ऊर्ध्वम्: Desha (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: ‘above the pedestal/base’)

• बीजिनम्: seed-bearing; possessing the seed
• बीजिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; गुणवाचक

• कारण-त्रये: in the triad of causes
• कारण-त्रये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (प्रातिपदिक/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (त्रीणि कारणानि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga
• Aghora

FAQs

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

It maps Śiva’s presence across levels of reality—knowledge, sacred principles, the iconography of the Liṅga, and the three causal strata—showing Him as the inner ruler (Pati) who grants liberation by transcending causality.

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

It gives a contemplative key for Liṅga-upāsanā: above the pīṭha, one meditates on Śiva as the bīja-source (Bījin), indicating that the visible Saguna Liṅga points to the causal origin and finally to the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

During Liṅga-pūjā, meditate on Aghora (auspicious Śiva) and visualize Śiva above the pīṭha as the seed of all manifestation, while reciting pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to internalize His causal and liberating power.