Shloka 4

सृष्टिपद्धतिवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

मायाशक्तियुतो वामे सकलश्च क्रियाधिकः । अस्यैव व्यष्टिरूपं स्यादीश्वरादिचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

māyāśaktiyuto vāme sakalaśca kriyādhikaḥ | asyaiva vyaṣṭirūpaṃ syādīśvarādicatuṣṭayam

Translation

On the left is the Lord united with the power of Māyā—manifest (sakala) and predominant in divine activity. From this very reality arises, in its individual (vyaṣṭi) aspect, the fourfold group beginning with Īśvara.

Word by Word

• मायाशक्ति-युतः: endowed with māyā-power
• मायाशक्ति-युतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (युज्/युत = endowed); तत्पुरुषसमासः (मायाशक्त्या युतः)

• वामे: on the left (side)
• वामे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक

• सकलः: Sakala (the sakala aspect)
• सकलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (सकल-तत्त्वः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• क्रिया-अधिकः: predominant in action
• क्रिया-अधिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (क्रियायाम् अधिकः = action-dominant)

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्दः

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• व्यष्टि-रूपम्: the individual form
• व्यष्टि-रूपम्: Adhikaraṇa (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (विधेय/विषय), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (व्यष्टेः रूपम्)

• स्यात्: would be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ईश्वर-आदि-चतुष्टयम्: the group of four beginning with Īśvara
• ईश्वर-आदि-चतुष्टयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (ईश्वरादीनां चतुष्टयम् = the tetrad beginning with Īśvara)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching in a philosophical discourse of the Kailasha Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya Shakti
• Ishvara

FAQs

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

It distinguishes Shiva’s manifest, Māyā-associated mode (sakala) that governs cosmic functions, and explains how the same supreme principle is spoken of as a fourfold set (beginning with Īśvara) when viewed in differentiated, individual terms—guiding seekers from visible divine activity toward the transcendent Lord beyond Māyā.

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

Linga worship commonly approaches Shiva as the accessible, sakala (saguṇa) Lord—present with power and activity for grace, protection, and liberation—while also pointing beyond form to the supreme reality; this verse explicitly frames that manifest aspect as Shiva united with Māyāśakti and active in kriyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both the active, manifest Lord (sakala) and the inner transcendence beyond Māyā; as a practical takeaway, perform Linga pūjā with the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering the fruits of action (kriyā) to Shiva for purification and release from pāśa (bondage).