Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

शिवशक्त्यैक्य-तत्त्वविचारः / Inquiry into the Unity of Śiva and Śakti

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

यामाहुरखिलेशस्य तैस्तैरनुगुणैर्गुणैः । समानधर्मिणीमेव शिवस्य परमात्मनः

Transliteration

yāmāhurakhileśasya taistairanuguṇairguṇaiḥ | samānadharmiṇīmeva śivasya paramātmanaḥ

Translation

Sie erklären sie zur wahren Entsprechung des Herrn über alles, geschmückt mit den jeweils angemessenen Eigenschaften; ja, ihr Wesen ist dasselbe wie das Śivas, des höchsten Selbst.

Word by Word

• yām: whom/which (her)
• yām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• āhuḥ: they call/say
• āhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (अह्/ब्रू)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• akhila-īśasya: of the Lord of all
• akhila-īśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘of the lord of all’ (अखिलेश)

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); pronoun

• taiḥ: by various/those respective
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); repetition for distributive sense (तैस्तैर्)

• anuguṇaiḥ: appropriate/corresponding
• anuguṇaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• guṇaiḥ: by qualities
• guṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• samāna-dharmiṇīm: of the same nature
• samāna-dharmiṇīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dharmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘having the same nature’ (समानधर्मिणी) qualifying yām

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• parama-ātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• parama-ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya ‘the Supreme Self’ (परमात्मन्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms the inseparable unity of Śiva (Pati) and his power (Śakti), indicating that the Supreme is not approached as a solitary principle but as consciousness with its own intrinsic, corresponding potency—central to liberation-oriented Shaiva theology.

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

In Saguna worship, the Liṅga signifies Śiva as the supreme reality made accessible; this verse supports worship that honors Śiva together with his inseparable Śakti, understanding divine attributes as appropriate manifestations of the Supreme Self.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Paramātmā while contemplating his inseparable Śakti; in practice, perform japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a unified bhāva of Śiva-Śakti, offering worship to the Liṅga with reverence for both consciousness and its power.