Shloka 32

Devanagari script

स एवमादाय मायां स्वां त्रिधा भवति रूपतः । ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशात्मा निर्गुणोऽनिर्गुणोऽपि सः

Transliteration

sa evamādāya māyāṃ svāṃ tridhā bhavati rūpataḥ | brahmaviṣṇumaheśātmā nirguṇo'nirguṇo'pi saḥ

Translation

Thus, taking up His own Māyā, He becomes threefold in form—having as His very Self Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa. Yet He remains Nirguṇa (beyond qualities), and also appears as Anirguṇa—seemingly with qualities—through that manifestation.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus)

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-dā (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having taken/assumed’

• māyām: māyā (illusion/power)
• māyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• svām: his own
• svām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (māyām)

• tridhā: threefold
• tridhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक अव्यय (adverb: in three ways)

• bhavati: becomes
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• rūpataḥ: as to form
• rūpataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘in form/with respect to form’

• brahma-viṣṇu-maheśa-ātmā: whose self is (as) Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa
• brahma-viṣṇu-maheśa-ātmā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + maheśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (brahma-viṣṇu-maheśa-rūpaḥ ātmā)

• nirguṇaḥ: without qualities
• nirguṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (saḥ)

• anirguṇaḥ: also with qualities (not quality-less)
• anirguṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (saḥ)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = ‘also/even’ (particle)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic manifestation through Māyā (appearance of threefold functional forms).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Mahesha
• Maya

FAQs

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

It teaches that the one Supreme Śiva remains transcendent (Nirguṇa) while, through His own Māyā, He manifests the functions of creation, preservation, and dissolution as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa—so devotees can relate to and worship Him without denying His highest, attributeless reality.

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

The verse supports Saguna worship: Śiva, though Nirguṇa in essence, graciously becomes approachable through manifest forms and functions. Linga worship similarly honors the formless-transcendent Śiva while providing a sacred, worshipable focus within the realm of Māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Nirguṇa–Saguna contemplation: worship Śiva with form (Linga, mantra-japa) while meditating that the same Lord is beyond all qualities. Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with this understanding is especially aligned with the verse.