Shloka 10

सृष्टिवर्णनम्

Cosmogony and the Roles of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

सोऽपि स्वयंभूर्भगवान्सिसृक्षुर्विविधाः प्रजाः । अप एव ससर्जादौ तासु वीर्यमवासृजत्

Transliteration

so'pi svayaṃbhūrbhagavānsisṛkṣurvividhāḥ prajāḥ | apa eva sasarjādau tāsu vīryamavāsṛjat

Translation

That Self-born Lord, desiring to create the many kinds of beings, first brought forth the waters; and into those waters He cast His generative potency.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात — ‘also/even’

• स्वयं-भूः: the self-born (one)
• स्वयं-भूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + भू (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त ‘भू’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — ‘स्वयमेव भूः/भवति’ (self-born)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सिसृक्षुः: wishing to create
• सिसृक्षुः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (सन्/इच्छार्थ ‘सिसृक्षु’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘desiring to create’

• विविधाः: various
• विविधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (प्रजाः इति विशेष्यस्य अनुरूपम्)

• प्रजाः: creatures
• प्रजाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), बहुवचन

• अपः: waters
• अपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), बहुवचन; ‘waters’ (pluralia tantum)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्; काल/क्रम-अव्यय — ‘in the beginning’

• तासु: in them (in those waters)
• तासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), बहुवचन

• वीर्यम्: seed/potency
• वीर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन

• अव-असृजत्: released/let fall
• अव-असृजत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः अव-

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: primary cosmogony: emergence of waters and emission of creative seed (vīrya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It portrays creation as beginning with the manifestation of the primordial waters and the infusion of creative power, pointing to an ordered emergence of the universe under the Lord’s will—where the creator (Brahmā) functions as an instrument within the higher sovereignty of Pati (Shiva).

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

The Linga signifies the unbroken source of manifestation: from the transcendent Lord arises the power that unfolds the cosmos. Meditating on the Linga as the origin of all elements aligns the devotee with Saguna Shiva as the compassionate revealer of creation and order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A fitting takeaway is elemental contemplation (bhūta-śuddhi) while repeating the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—recognizing all elements (beginning with water) as pervaded and governed by Shiva, supported by Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa as aids to Shaiva remembrance.