Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

शक्तितत्त्ववर्णनम् / Exposition of the Principle of Śakti

Devanagari script

सदाशिवेश्वराद्या हि विद्या ऽविद्येश्वरादयः । अभवन्पुरुषाश्चास्याः प्रकृतिश्च परात्परा

Transliteration

sadāśiveśvarādyā hi vidyā 'vidyeśvarādayaḥ | abhavanpuruṣāścāsyāḥ prakṛtiśca parātparā

Translation

Aus jener höchsten Wirklichkeit offenbarten sich die göttlichen Mächte, beginnend mit Sadāśiva—genannt die Herren der Vidyā (reinen Erkenntnis). Aus ihr entstanden auch die Herren der Avidyā (begrenzten Erkenntnis). Ebenso traten die Einzelseelen (puruṣas) und die uranfängliche Natur (prakṛti), die selbst das Transzendente übersteigt, hervor.

Word by Word

• sadāśiva-īśvara-ādyāḥ: Sadāśiva, Īśvara, and others
• sadāśiva-īśvara-ādyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadāśiva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (enumerative: 'Sadāśiva, Īśvara, etc.'); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• vidyā: knowledge; Vidyā (principle)
• vidyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• avidyā-īśvara-ādayaḥ: Avidyeśvara and others
• avidyā-īśvara-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('Avidyā-īśvara etc.'); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• abhavan: became; arose
• abhavan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• puruṣāḥ: persons; puruṣas
• puruṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• asyāḥ: of this (fem.); of her
• asyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• prakṛtiḥ: Prakṛti; nature
• prakṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• parāt-parā: supreme beyond the supreme
• parāt-parā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parātpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (parāt parā = beyond the beyond); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; prakṛtiḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: unfolding of vidyā-īśvaras/avidyā-īśvaras, puruṣas and prakṛti (tattva-sṛṣṭi)

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva Siddhanta-style map of reality: from the Supreme arise the powers of pure knowledge (vidyā) and limitation (avidyā), along with souls (puruṣas) and prakṛti—showing that bondage and liberation are both within Shiva’s sovereign manifestation.

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

Lingārcana and Saguna Shiva-upāsanā focus the mind on Sadāśiva, the source of vidyā; devotion and right knowledge weaken avidyā (limitation) and reorient the soul toward Pati (Shiva) rather than prakṛti-bound identity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Sadāśiva while repeating the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to move from avidyā to vidyā; support it with Shiva-pūjā using bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids for purity and steadiness.