Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

उभे ते परमेशस्य रूपे तस्य वशे यतः । तयोः परः शिवः शांतः क्षराक्षरापरस्स्मृतः

Transliteration

ubhe te parameśasya rūpe tasya vaśe yataḥ | tayoḥ paraḥ śivaḥ śāṃtaḥ kṣarākṣarāparassmṛtaḥ

Translation

Beides sind wahrlich Gestalten des höchsten Herrn (Parameśvara), da sie unter Seiner Herrschaft bestehen. Doch jenseits von beiden ist Śiva, der Stille, in Erinnerung als derjenige, der kṣara und akṣara überragt.

Word by Word

• उभे: both
• उभे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (रूपे)

• ते: those (two)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• परमेशस्य: of the Supreme Lord
• परमेशस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• रूपे: forms
• रूपे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वशे: under control/in subjection
• वशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• यतः: because/since
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ (causal: because/since)

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, द्विवचन

• परः: higher/superior
• परः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शिवः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शान्तः: peaceful
• शान्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शिवः)

• क्षराक्षरापरः: beyond the perishable and imperishable
• क्षराक्षरापरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षर + अक्षर + अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (क्षर-अक्षरयोः अपरः = beyond perishable and imperishable); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शिवः)

• स्मृतः: is known/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/known as’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parameshvara

FAQs

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

It establishes Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who transcends both the changing world (kṣara) and even the subtle imperishable principle (akṣara), pointing the seeker toward liberation through realizing Śiva as the highest peace (śānta).

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

The verse affirms that multiple divine modes and forms exist under Parameśvara, yet Śiva is ultimately beyond all dualities; thus Linga worship trains the mind to move from form-based devotion (saguṇa upāsanā) toward the formless-transcendent truth (nirguṇa Śiva) without rejecting devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as śānta (pure peace) while japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and perform Linga-abhiṣeka with the inward contemplation that Śiva is beyond both kṣara and akṣara.