Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 62

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

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

बिभर्ति क्षेत्रतां देवी त्रिपुरांतकवल्लभा । क्षेत्रज्ञत्वं तदा धत्ते भगवानंतकांतकः

Transliteration

bibharti kṣetratāṃ devī tripurāṃtakavallabhā | kṣetrajñatvaṃ tadā dhatte bhagavānaṃtakāṃtakaḥ

Translation

Dann nimmt die Göttin — Geliebte des Tripurāntaka (Śiva) — den Status des «kṣetra» (des Feldes) an; und der selige Herr Antakāntaka (Śiva, Vernichter des Todes) nimmt den Status des «kṣetrajña» (des Kenner des Feldes) an.

Word by Word

• बिभर्ति: bears; assumes
• बिभर्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रताम्: the state of being the field (kṣetra)
• क्षेत्रताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता

• त्रिपुरान्तकवल्लभा: beloved of Tripurāntaka (Śiva)
• त्रिपुरान्तकवल्लभा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुरान्तक + वल्लभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रिपुरान्तकस्य वल्लभा)

• क्षेत्रज्ञत्वम्: the state of being the knower of the field
• क्षेत्रज्ञत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज्ञत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• तदा: then
• तदा: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• धत्ते: holds; assumes
• धत्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता

• अन्तकान्तकः: the destroyer of Death
• अन्तकान्तकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अन्तकस्य अन्तकः = slayer of Death)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurantaka

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva insight that Śiva is the inner conscious Witness (kṣetrajña), while Śakti manifests as the experiential field (kṣetra). Liberation arises by recognizing Śiva as the indwelling knower beyond the changing body-mind.

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee to see Śiva as the ever-present consciousness within all forms. The verse supports Saguna upāsanā by affirming that the Lord, though worshiped with form and attributes, is ultimately the kṣetrajña—the inner Reality behind the field of manifestation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner knower while applying bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to detach from the ‘field’ and abide in the witnessing awareness.