Shloka 26

Devanagari script

व्याजहार महामाया सर्वान्तर्य्यामिरूपिणी । साक्षिणी सर्वभूतानां परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणी

Transliteration

vyājahāra mahāmāyā sarvāntaryyāmirūpiṇī | sākṣiṇī sarvabhūtānāṃ parabrahmasvarūpiṇī

Translation

Then Mahāmāyā spoke—she whose form is the Inner Ruler (Antaryāmin) within all, the witness of every being, and whose very nature is the Supreme Brahman.

Word by Word

• व्याजहार: spoke, uttered
• व्याजहार: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• महामाया: Mahāmāyā (the Great Illusion/Power)
• महामाया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामाया (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + माया
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• सर्व-अन्तर्यामि-रूपिणी: having the form of the inner controller of all
• सर्व-अन्तर्यामि-रूपिणी: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक) = सर्व + अन्तर्यामिन् + रूपिन्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective) qualifying महामाया

• साक्षिणी: the witness
• साक्षिणी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular); apposition to महामाया

• सर्व-भूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्व-भूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) = सर्व + भूत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

• पर-ब्रह्म-स्वरूपिणी: whose nature is the Supreme Brahman
• पर-ब्रह्म-स्वरूपिणी: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वरूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक) = पर + ब्रह्मन् + स्वरूपिन्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective) qualifying महामाया/साक्षिणी

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the scene to the sages at Naimisharanya; the verse introduces Mahāmāyā as the one who speaks next)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal identification of Mahāmāyā as antaryāmin and sākṣin; not tied to a shrine narrative.

Significance: Meditation on the Inner Ruler (antaryāmin) and Witness (sākṣin) is a direct soteriological upāya: turning inward from pasha toward pati through grace-bestowed insight.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Tārā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Mahāmāyā
• Parabrahman

FAQs

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

It identifies the Divine Power (Mahāmāyā/Śakti) as the indwelling Inner Ruler (antaryāmin) and the witnessing consciousness (sākṣin), pointing the seeker toward liberation through recognizing the Supreme Reality present within all beings.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to perceive Shiva as the all-pervading Reality; this verse complements that by declaring the same Supreme as the inner witness in every heart—Saguna worship leading toward the Nirguna-Parabrahman understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sākṣī-bhāva (witness-meditation): while doing japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplate the Divine as the silent witness within; optionally accompany with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva supports for steadiness.