Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

शक्तितत्त्ववर्णनम् / Exposition of the Principle of Śakti

Devanagari script

सा देवी मायया सर्वं ब्रह्मांडं सचराचरम् । मोहयत्यप्रयत्नेन मोचयत्यपि लीलया

Transliteration

sā devī māyayā sarvaṃ brahmāṃḍaṃ sacarācaram | mohayatyaprayatnena mocayatyapi līlayā

Translation

Jene Göttin betört durch ihre Māyā mühelos das ganze Universum—das Bewegte und das Unbewegte—und durch bloßes Līlā, göttliches Spiel, befreit sie die Wesen auch aus der Fessel.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन

• मायया: by māyā
• मायया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the cosmos / universe-egg
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन

• सचराचरम्: with the moving and the unmoving
• सचराचरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चर + अचर) ‘with moving and unmoving’ अर्थे

• मोहयति: deludes
• मोहयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd) एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: ‘deludes’)

• अप्रयत्नेन: without effort / effortlessly
• अप्रयत्नेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ- + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन; नकारार्थक-उपसर्गयुक्त

• मोचयति: liberates
• मोचयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd) एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘causes to be freed’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• लीलया: by play / sportively
• लीलया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that bondage and liberation both operate under the sovereignty of Divine Śakti: the same māyā that veils consciousness can, by grace, remove the veil and grant release—showing that mokṣa is ultimately a matter of divine anugraha (grace).

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

In Shaiva thought, Śiva (Pati) is worshiped with Śakti inseparable; devotion to the Liṅga and Saguna Śiva invokes grace that cuts through māyā’s delusion, turning the devotee from worldly fascination toward śivajñāna (knowledge of Śiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with devotion, supported by Śiva-upāsanā such as vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa, seeking Śiva-Śakti’s grace to remove delusion.