Shloka 15

कामप्रादुर्भावः — The Manifestation/Arising of Kāma

Devanagari script

सृष्टिकर्ताभवं ब्रह्मा विष्णुः पालनकारकः । लयकर्ता स्वयं रुद्रस्त्रिधाभूतस्सदाशिवः

Transliteration

sṛṣṭikartābhavaṃ brahmā viṣṇuḥ pālanakārakaḥ | layakartā svayaṃ rudrastridhābhūtassadāśivaḥ

Translation

Brahmā became the agent of creation; Viṣṇu is the one who carries out preservation; Rudra himself is the agent of dissolution. Thus Sadāśiva—one Supreme Lord—manifests in three ways to govern the cosmos.

Word by Word

• सृष्टि-कर्ता: creator (of creation)
• सृष्टि-कर्ता: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘सृष्टेः कर्ता’)

• अभवम्: I became
• अभवम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperfect, 1st person, Singular

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to speaker

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पालन-कारकः: agent of preservation
• पालन-कारकः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘पालनस्य कारकः’)

• लय-कर्ता: agent of dissolution
• लय-कर्ता: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘लयस्य कर्ता’)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/निपात) — indeclinable ‘oneself’

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिधा: threefold
• त्रिधा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (संख्यावाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb ‘in three ways’

• भूतः: having become
• भूतः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकालिक-विशेषण), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — past participle: become

• सदा-शिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय (‘सदा शिवः’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the three cosmic operations—creation, preservation, and dissolution—are ultimately governed by one Supreme Reality, Sadāśiva. In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, Śiva as Pati is the inner Lord who empowers all functional deities and remains the transcendent source beyond their roles.

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

The Liṅga signifies Sadāśiva as the formless ground of all forms; worship of the Liṅga is worship of the One who appears as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra for sṛṣṭi-sthiti-laya. Saguna Śiva devotion focuses on this accessible Lord who performs cosmic governance while still being rooted in the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Sadāśiva as the single Pati behind all change, and japa the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with the intent of seeing creation, maintenance, and dissolution as His śakti. Offering bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and using rudrākṣa can be taken as supportive Shaiva disciplines for steady remembrance.