Shloka 70

Paramātma-Svarūpa-Nirṇaya: Strī–Puṃ–Napuṃsaka-Vicāra

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

निजेच्छया जगत्सृष्टमुद्युक्तस्य महेशितुः । प्रथमो यः परिस्पन्दश्शिव तत्त्वन्तदुच्यते

Transliteration

nijecchayā jagatsṛṣṭamudyuktasya maheśituḥ | prathamo yaḥ parispandaśśiva tattvantaducyate

Translation

When the Great Lord, by His own free will, turns toward the creation of the universe, the very first stir or movement that arises—this is called the principle of Śiva (Śiva-tattva).

Word by Word

• निज-इच्छया: by (his) own will
• निज-इच्छया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/करण), एकवचन (sg.); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (निजस्य इच्छा)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• सृष्टम्: created
• सृष्टम्: कर्मणि भावः (Karma in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) → सृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); जगत् इति पदेन सह विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः

• उद्युक्तस्य: of the engaged (one)
• उद्युक्तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-युज् (धातु) → उद्युक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘engaged/intent’, पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (sg.)

• महेशितुः: of the Great Lord
• महेशितुः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th), एकवचन (sg.)

• प्रथमः: the first
• प्रथमः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन (sg.); सम्बन्धसूचकः (relative pronoun)

• परिस्पन्दः: vibration, pulsation
• परिस्पन्दः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-स्पन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• शिव: O Śiva
• शिव: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (sg.)

• तत्त्वम्: principle, reality
• तत्त्वम्: प्रधानीय (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• तत्: that
• तत्: अनुवृत्ति/निर्देश (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (philosophical instruction in Kailasha Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic first stir (prathama-parispanda) initiating sṛṣṭi

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Śiva as the independent Lord (Pati) whose free will initiates manifestation; the “first stir” points to Śiva-tattva as the root reality behind all subsequent creation and experience.

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

The Liṅga symbolizes Śiva as the causal, beginningless ground of manifestation; worshiping the Liṅga trains the mind to recognize that all cosmic activity arises from Śiva’s supreme lordship, even when approached through a saguna form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner source of all movement (parispanda) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to trace the mind back from changing phenomena to the Lord who initiates and transcends them.