Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

नमश्शिवाय शांताय सगणायादिहेतवे । रुद्राय विष्णवे तुभ्यं ब्रह्मणे सूर्यमूर्तये

Transliteration

namaśśivāya śāṃtāya sagaṇāyādihetave | rudrāya viṣṇave tubhyaṃ brahmaṇe sūryamūrtaye

Translation

Ehrerbietung Śiva, dem friedvollen Herrn, der mit Seinen göttlichen Gaṇas die urerste Ursache ist. Vor Dir verneige ich mich: Du bist auch Rudra, Viṣṇu und Brahmā, und Deine Gestalt leuchtet als Sonne.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (Singular)

• शान्ताय: to the peaceful one
• शान्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) शिवस्य

• सगणाय: to the one with (his) gaṇas
• सगणाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-गण (प्रातिपदिक; स उपसर्ग/उपपद + गण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (one who is with his gaṇas)

• आदि-हेतवे: to the primal cause
• आदि-हेतवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आदिः हेतुः यस्य/आदौ हेतुः)

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• विष्णवे: to Viṣṇu
• विष्णवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (u-stem dative: विष्णवे)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahman / to Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन (n-stem: ब्रह्मणे)

• सूर्य-मूर्तये: to the one whose form is the Sun
• सूर्य-मूर्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सूर्यस्य मूर्तिः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमश्शिवाय

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Surya

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as the शांत (peaceful) Pati—the primal cause—while recognizing that the functions of creation, preservation, and dissolution appear through Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra under His sovereignty.

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

By praising Śiva as “sagaṇa” and as manifesting as cosmic powers (including the solar form), it supports Saguna worship—approaching the transcendent Lord through His accessible forms, which the Liṅga uniquely symbolizes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the pañcākṣarī “Namaḥ Śivāya,” offered with a calm mind (śānti-bhāva), is the implied practice; it may be paired with Liṅga-pūjā and contemplative meditation on Śiva as the inner light (sūrya-mūrti).