Shloka 9

शिवमायाप्रभाववर्णनम्

Description of the Power/Effects of Śiva’s Māyā

Devanagari script

शिवस्यैव परा मूर्तिर्ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीश्वरात्मिका । सर्वभूतात्मभूताख्या त्रिलिंगा लिंगरूपिणी

Transliteration

śivasyaiva parā mūrtirbrahmaviṣṇvīśvarātmikā | sarvabhūtātmabhūtākhyā triliṃgā liṃgarūpiṇī

Translation

Indeed, Shiva’s supreme Form is that which is the very Self of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Īśvara. Known as the Inner Self of all beings, that Supreme Reality is the “threefold-linga” and is manifested as the Linga itself.

Word by Word

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/alone
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) मूर्तिः

• मूर्तिः: form/manifestation
• मूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीश्वरात्मिका: whose essence is Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Īśvara
• ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीश्वरात्मिका: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + ईश्वर + आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (समाहार/निर्देश: 'having the nature of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Īśvara'); विशेषणम् मूर्तिः

• सर्वभूतात्मभूताख्या: called (as) the self of all beings
• सर्वभूतात्मभूताख्या: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + भूत + आत्मन् + भूत + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (possessive: 'she whose designation is as the self of all beings / as become the self of all beings'); विशेषणम् (implicit) सा/मूर्तिः

• त्रिलिङ्गा: threefold (having three liṅgas/genders)
• त्रिलिङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound: 'three-linga/threefold in gender/mark'); विशेषणम् (implicit) सा

• लिङ्गरूपिणी: having the form of the liṅga
• लिङ्गरूपिणी: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'having the form of liṅga'); विशेषणम् (implicit) सा/मूर्तिः

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that the Supreme Reality is Shiva alone—immanent as the Self within all beings and also transcendent—so liberation comes by recognizing Pati (Shiva) as the innermost ground of existence, not merely as an external deity.

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

It frames the Linga as the manifest sign (liṅga) of the Supreme: Saguna worship of the Linga is a valid doorway to realize the deeper, all-pervading Shiva-tattva that is the Self of Brahma, Vishnu, and Ishvara.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the Linga as the indwelling Self (sarvabhūtātman) while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); perform Linga-abhiṣeka with the intent of inner purification and recognition of Shiva as the one consciousness in all.