Shloka 31

हिमवतः सुमङ्गलोत्सव-नगररचना

Himavān’s Auspicious Festival Preparations and City Adornment

Devanagari script

तथाप्तसप्तलोकं वै विरेचे क्षणतोऽद्भुतम् । दीप्त्या परमया युक्तं निवासार्थं स्वयम्भुवः

Transliteration

tathāptasaptalokaṃ vai virece kṣaṇato'dbhutam | dīptyā paramayā yuktaṃ nivāsārthaṃ svayambhuvaḥ

Translation

Thus Svayambhū (Brahmā), in a wondrous instant, fashioned at once the entire sevenfold world, endowed with supreme radiance, that it might serve as a dwelling-place for embodied beings.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• आप्त-सप्त-लोकम्: the seven worlds (fully prepared/obtained)
• आप्त-सप्त-लोकम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘the obtained/complete seven worlds’ (contextual epithet)

• वै: indeed
• वै: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphasis)

• विरेचे: he fashioned/arranged
• विरेचे: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-रिच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada; ‘made/arranged/created’

• क्षणतः: instantly
• क्षणतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in a moment/instantly’

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying object (the arrangement)

• दीप्त्या: with radiance
• दीप्त्या: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental ‘with radiance’

• परमया: supreme
• परमया: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; qualifying ‘दीप्त्या’

• युक्तम्: endowed (with)
• युक्तम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘endowed/connected’ qualifying object

• निवासार्थम्: for residence
• निवासार्थम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; purpose ‘for residence’

• स्वयम्भुवः: of the Self-born (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘of the self-born (Brahmā)’; bahuvrīhi: स्वयम् भवति इति

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: saptaloka-prapañca manifestation (sevenfold worlds)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Svayambhu

FAQs

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

It presents creation as an ordered, luminous arrangement meant for the experience and evolution of bound souls (paśu); from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, the worlds function as the field where karma ripens and where grace can mature into liberation under the Lord (Pati).

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

By describing Brahmā’s role as a secondary creator, the verse implicitly points beyond the created cosmos to the supreme Lord who is worshiped as Saguna Shiva (often through the Linga) as the ultimate source and governor of creation, maintenance, and release.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative worship: meditate on the seven worlds as transient and seek refuge in Shiva through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), supported by Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha where appropriate.