Shloka 33

Devanagari script

सृष्टौ ब्रह्मा स्थितौ विष्णुः प्रलये हररूपधृक् । रजस्सत्त्वतमोभिश्च त्रिगुणैरगुणः प्रभो

Transliteration

sṛṣṭau brahmā sthitau viṣṇuḥ pralaye hararūpadhṛk | rajassattvatamobhiśca triguṇairaguṇaḥ prabho

Translation

In creation He appears as Brahmā; in preservation as Viṣṇu; and at dissolution He assumes the form of Hara. Yet, though He functions through the three guṇas—rajas, sattva, and tamas—the Lord remains truly without guṇas, the supreme Master.

Word by Word

• सृष्टौ: in creation
• सृष्टौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थितौ: in maintenance
• स्थितौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• प्रलये: in dissolution
• प्रलये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हर-रूप-धृक्: the bearer of Hara’s form
• हर-रूप-धृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + √धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘धृक्’ = क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun) ‘bearing’; तत्पुरुष-समास (हरस्य रूपं धारयति)

• रजः: rajas (passion)
• रजः: Sahakārī/Hetu (हेतु-सूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देश)

• सत्त्व: sattva (purity)
• सत्त्व: Sahakārī/Hetu (हेतु-सूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देश)

• तमोभिः: by tamas (darkness)
• तमोभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्रि-गुणैः: by the three qualities
• त्रि-गुणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयः गुणाः)

• अ-गुणः: without qualities
• अ-गुणः: Viśeṣya-dharma (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्-उपसर्ग/प्रत्यय) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषार्थक (negation) विशेषण

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya (as doctrinal reference)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Hara

FAQs

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

It teaches that the one Supreme Lord manifests as the cosmic functions of creation, preservation, and dissolution, yet His true nature remains beyond prakṛti and the three guṇas—pointing the seeker toward liberation through knowing Shiva as the transcendent Pati.

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

The verse supports Saguna worship by affirming Shiva’s manifest roles (as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Hara), while also grounding Linga-worship in the truth that the Lord symbolized by the Linga is ultimately nirguṇa—beyond all limiting qualities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both the immanent Lord of the three guṇas and the transcendent aguṇa reality; in practice, chant the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating that all cosmic functions arise in Him and dissolve back into Him.