Shloka 2

Viśveśvara-māhātmya and the Nirguṇa–Saguṇa Emergence of Śiva (Śakti–Puruṣa/Prakṛti Discourse)

Devanagari script

यदिदं दृश्यते किंचिज्जगत्यां वस्तुमात्रकम् । चिदानन्द स्वरूपं च निर्विकारं सनातनम्

Transliteration

yadidaṃ dṛśyate kiṃcijjagatyāṃ vastumātrakam | cidānanda svarūpaṃ ca nirvikāraṃ sanātanam

Translation

Whatever is seen here in this world as mere “things” is, in truth, of the nature of Consciousness and Bliss—eternal and changeless.

Word by Word

• yat: whatever/that which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• dṛśyate: is seen/appears
• dṛśyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• kiṃcit: anything
• kiṃcit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); indefinite ‘something/anything’

• jagatyām: in the world
• jagatyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vastu-mātrakam: a mere entity
• vastu-mātrakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastu (प्रातिपदिक) + mātraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): ‘mere thing/only an entity’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• cit-ānanda-svarūpam: of the nature of consciousness and bliss
• cit-ānanda-svarūpam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cit (प्रातिपदिक) + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): ‘whose nature is consciousness and bliss’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• nirvikāram: unchanging
• nirvikāram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirvikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with (tad vastu)

• sanātanam: eternal
• sanātanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with (tad vastu)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s highest teaching in the Kotirudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the world’s “objectness” is not ultimate; its ground is cidānanda—unchanging, eternal Reality identified with Śiva as Pati. Seeing this loosens bondage (pāśa) and supports liberation-oriented discernment.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to move from form to Formless: the visible symbol (saguṇa-upāsanā) points to Śiva’s nirvikāra, cidānanda nature. The verse clarifies that the goal of devotion is recognition of the changeless Lord behind all appearances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as cidānanda while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), using Linga-dhyāna to withdraw attention from mere objects and rest awareness in the changeless Self-luminous Lord; optionally support this with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness.