Shloka 14

सृष्टिवर्णनम्

Cosmogony and the Roles of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

अधोऽथोर्द्ध्वं प्रयुक्तानि भुवनानि चतुर्द्दश । तयोश्शकलयोर्मध्य आकाशममृजत्प्रभुः

Transliteration

adho'thorddhvaṃ prayuktāni bhuvanāni caturddaśa | tayośśakalayormadhya ākāśamamṛjatprabhuḥ

Translation

Then the Lord set in place the fourteen worlds—below and above—and, between those two divisions, the Sovereign fashioned the expanse of space (ākāśa).

Word by Word

• अधः: below
• अधः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (adverb of place)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above/upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: upwards)

• प्रयुक्तानि: were arranged/placed
• प्रयुक्तानि: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘भुवनानि’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• भुवनानि: worlds
• भुवनानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound) ‘चतुर्दश’ = 14; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘भुवनानि’ इत्यस्य संख्याविशेषण

• तयोः: of the two (halves)
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of those two (parts)’

• शकलयोः: of the two pieces
• शकलयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तयोः इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• आकाशम्: space/sky
• आकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अमृजत्: created/formed (lit. fashioned/cleansed)
• अमृजत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who orders the cosmos—showing that even space (ākāśa) and the fourteen worlds arise within His sovereign creative power, encouraging the seeker to rely on Him for liberation beyond all planes.

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

The verse supports Saguna worship by affirming Śiva as the personal Lord (Prabhu) who creates and sustains the cosmic structure; in Linga worship, the devotee honors that same all-pervading Lord who contains all lokas and elements within Himself.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A fitting practice is Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating ākāśa as Śiva’s subtle manifestation—spacious, all-pervading, and untouched—supporting inward detachment from the fourteen worlds.