Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26

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

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

नानारूपास्तु विज्ञेयाः स्थूलसूक्ष्मविभेदतः । रुद्रस्य रौद्री सा शक्तिर्विष्णौर्वै वैष्णवी मता

Transliteration

nānārūpāstu vijñeyāḥ sthūlasūkṣmavibhedataḥ | rudrasya raudrī sā śaktirviṣṇaurvai vaiṣṇavī matā

Translation

Diese göttlichen Kräfte sind als vielgestaltig zu erkennen, unterschieden nach grob und fein. In Rudra heißt diese Kraft Raudrī; in Viṣṇu gilt sie als Vaiṣṇavī.

Word by Word

• नानारूपाः: of various forms
• नानारूपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘नाना’ (various) + ‘रूप’ (forms)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• विज्ञेयाः: are to be understood
• विज्ञेयाः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Gerundive/तव्यत्-प्रत्यय, ‘-य’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थ (to be known)

• स्थूलसूक्ष्मविभेदतः: according to the distinction of gross and subtle
• स्थूलसूक्ष्मविभेदतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्थूल-सूक्ष्म-विभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; समासः (स्थूलस्य च सूक्ष्मस्य च विभेदः)

• रुद्रस्य: of Rudra
• रुद्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• रौद्री: Raudrī (Rudra’s śakti)
• रौद्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सा: that (she)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शक्तिः: power / Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• विष्णौः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णौः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (वैदिक/पुराण-प्रयोगे ‘विष्णोः’ रूपस्य स्थानि ‘विष्णौः’ पाठभेद/रूपभेद)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• वैष्णवी: Vaiṣṇavī (Viṣṇu’s śakti)
• वैष्णवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• मता: is considered
• मता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘considered/held as’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Vishnu
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that the one divine Power (Śakti) appears in many modes—gross and subtle—and is recognized according to the lord it serves. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, Śakti is inseparable from Pati (Rudra/Śiva) and becomes the means by which the soul is guided from outer forms to inner realization.

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

Linga and Saguna worship begin with the “gross” supports—form, mantra, and ritual—yet aim at the subtle presence of Rudra within. Calling Śiva’s power “Raudrī” indicates that devotion to Śiva’s manifest form is also communion with His operative Śakti that purifies bonds (pāśa) and turns the mind inward.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to combine outer worship with inner contemplation: perform Śiva-pūjā with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), then meditate on the subtle Raudrī Śakti as the transforming power within breath and awareness.