Shloka 31

सृष्टिपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Exposition of the Supreme Method of Creation and the Tirodhāna-Cakra

Devanagari script

वाग्देवीसहितो वामे सृष्टिकर्त्ता जगत्प्रभुः । चतुर्मुखो रक्तवर्णो रजोरूपस्वरूपवान्

Transliteration

vāgdevīsahito vāme sṛṣṭikarttā jagatprabhuḥ | caturmukho raktavarṇo rajorūpasvarūpavān

Translation

On the left stands the Lord of the world, the Creator, accompanied by the Goddess of Speech (Vāgdevī); four-faced, red-hued, whose very essence is the form of rajas.

Word by Word

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• सहितः: accompanied (with)
• सहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (कृदन्त; √सह् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; ‘सह’ = accompanied

• वामे: on the left (side)
• वामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• सृष्टि: creation
• सृष्टि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• कर्त्ता: creator
• कर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (समासोत्तरपद)

• जगत्: of the world
• जगत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• प्रभुः: lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (समासोत्तरपद)

• चतुर्: four
• चतुर्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग); ‘four’

• मुखः: faced; having faces
• मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (समासोत्तरपद)

• रक्त: red
• रक्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग); ‘red’

• वर्णः: colored; having color
• वर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (समासोत्तरपद)

• रजस्: of rajas (passion)
• रजस्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• रूप: form
• रूप: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• स्वरूप: own nature/essential form
• स्वरूप: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; (समास) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वस्य रूपम्’

• वान्: possessing
• वान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वत् (तद्धित; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण ‘possessing’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, describing the Lord’s cosmic arrangement where Brahma functions as creator)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvati
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It identifies the creator-function as Brahmā (four-faced, red, rajasic) with Sarasvatī, while implying the Shaiva teaching that such cosmic functions operate under the supreme Lord’s governance—Shiva as Pati—who transcends the guṇas.

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

By distinguishing the rajasic creator-form from the supreme Lord, it supports Saguna worship (Linga/Śiva) as devotion to the ultimate source who empowers creation yet remains beyond the limited guṇic roles represented by Brahmā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the guṇa-transcendent Lord while observing the play of rajas in creation; practically, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) steadies the mind amid rajasic activity and orients it toward moksha.