Shloka 15

शिवमायाप्रभाववर्णनम्

Description of the Power/Effects of Śiva’s Māyā

Devanagari script

तन्माया परमा दिव्या सर्वत्र व्यापिनी मुने । तदधीनं जगत्सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम्

Transliteration

tanmāyā paramā divyā sarvatra vyāpinī mune | tadadhīnaṃ jagatsarvaṃ sadevāsuramānuṣam

Translation

O sage, His Māyā is supreme and divine, pervading everywhere. Dependent upon that power is this entire universe—together with the gods, the asuras, and humankind.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (his/that)
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• माया: māyā; power of illusion
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• परमा: supreme
• परमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिव्या: divine
• दिव्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (everywhere)

• व्यापिनी: pervading
• व्यापिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √व्याप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle adjective: pervading), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘that’ (referring to the world)

• अधीनम्: dependent (on)
• अधीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘dependent’

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; समास-पूर्वपद (sa- = ‘with’)

• देव: gods
• देव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया/सप्तमी-समासार्थे; here as member of compound

• असुर: demons
• असुर: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; compound member

• मानुषम्: (world) with gods, demons, and humans
• मानुषम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (देव + असुर + मानुष) with ‘स’ as सहार्थक-पूर्वपद (sadeva-asura-mānuṣam = with gods, demons, and humans)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching as the supreme Pati on the nature of Māyā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Asuras
• Humans

FAQs

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

It teaches that the cosmos and all beings function under Shiva’s divine Māyā, while liberation comes by recognizing Shiva as the supreme Pati beyond bondage (pāśa) and turning the mind toward Him.

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

The Linga represents Shiva as the transcendent Reality, while Saguna worship helps devotees relate to Him within the world shaped by Māyā—using form and devotion to move beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as all-pervading while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) steadies the mind; applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and wearing rudrākṣa can support daily remembrance of Shiva beyond Māyā.