Shloka 32

सृष्टिपद्धतिवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

हिण्यगर्भाद्यस्यैव व्यष्टिरूपं चतुष्टयम् । हिरण्यगर्भोथ विराट् पुरुषः काल एव च

Transliteration

hiṇyagarbhādyasyaiva vyaṣṭirūpaṃ catuṣṭayam | hiraṇyagarbhotha virāṭ puruṣaḥ kāla eva ca

Translation

Indeed, the fourfold individual (vyaṣṭi) manifestation beginning with Hiraṇyagarbha is declared—Hiraṇyagarbha, then Virāṭ, the Puruṣa, and also Kāla, Time.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यगर्भ: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; (समास) कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः ‘हिरण्यः गर्भः’

• आदि: etc.; beginning with
• आदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद (समासाङ्ग); ‘beginning with’

• अस्य: of this (one)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); अवधारणार्थक

• व्यष्टि: individual (microcosmic)
• व्यष्टि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; (समासाङ्ग) ‘individual’

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; (समासोत्तरपद)

• चतुष्टयम्: a set of four
• चतुष्टयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; ‘group of four’

• हिरण्यगर्भः: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); अनन्तरार्थक/क्रमसूचक

• विराट्: Virāṭ (cosmic form)
• विराट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराज्/विराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (विशेष-प्रातिपदिक)

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); अवधारणार्थक

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic manifestation schema (subtle-to-gross) including Kāla as ordering principle

Characters & Entities

• Hiranyagarbha
• Virat
• Purusha
• Kala

FAQs

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

It outlines a fourfold framework of manifested principles—subtle creator (Hiraṇyagarbha), gross cosmos (Virāṭ), indwelling conscious principle (Puruṣa), and Time (Kāla)—showing how the Lord’s governance extends from cosmic emergence to the ordering force of time. In Shaiva Siddhanta, these belong to the realm of manifestation under Pati (Shiva), who transcends yet regulates them.

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

The Linga signifies Shiva as the transcendent source beyond all manifested categories, while Saguna Shiva is the Lord who presides over them. By naming Hiraṇyagarbha, Virāṭ, Puruṣa, and Kāla, the verse points to what is encompassed and governed by Shiva—thus Linga worship trains the devotee to see the manifested universe as resting in, and directed by, the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while reflecting that all experiences—body (Virāṭ), subtle mind (Hiraṇyagarbha), inner witness (Puruṣa), and the pressure of time (Kāla)—are to be offered into Shiva (Linga-bhāva), cultivating detachment and devotion.