Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 73

सर्गविभागवर्णनम्

Classification of Creation: the Nine Sargas and the Streams of Beings

Devanagari script

तस्मिन् ब्रह्मवने ऽव्यक्तो ब्रह्मा चरति सर्ववित् । अव्यक्तबीजप्रभव ईश्वरानुग्रहे स्थितः । बुद्धिस्कंधमहाशाख इन्द्रियांतरकोटरः । महाभूतप्रमाणश्च विशेषामलपल्लवः

Transliteration

tasmin brahmavane 'vyakto brahmā carati sarvavit | avyaktabījaprabhava īśvarānugrahe sthitaḥ | buddhiskaṃdhamahāśākha indriyāṃtarakoṭaraḥ | mahābhūtapramāṇaśca viśeṣāmalapallavaḥ

Translation

In that forest of Brahman, Brahmā—the all-knowing—moves about as the Unmanifest. Born from the seed of the Unmanifest, he abides only through the grace of the Lord. His trunk is the principle of intellect (buddhi), his great branches are the evolutes; the hollows within are the inner workings of the senses. His measure is the great elements, and his leaves are the pure differentiations (viśeṣas).

Word by Word

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine (नपुंसक/पुं), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम

• brahma-vane: in the Brahma-grove/forest
• brahma-vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः वनम्)

• avyaktaḥ: unmanifest
• avyaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• carati: moves, wanders
• carati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• sarva-vit: all-knowing
• sarva-vit: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक; from √vid)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं वेत्ति)

• avyakta-bīja-prabhavaḥ: arising from the unmanifest seed
• avyakta-bīja-prabhavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + bīja (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अव्यक्तं बीजं यस्य/यतः प्रभवः)

• īśvara-anugrahe: in/through the Lord’s grace
• īśvara-anugrahe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ईश्वरस्य अनुग्रहः)

• sthitaḥ: standing, abiding
• sthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (कृदन्त, √sthā)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); भूतकृदन्तः (past participle)

• buddhi-skandha-mahā-śākhaḥ: having intellect as trunk and great branches
• buddhi-skandha-mahā-śākhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + skandha (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śākhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (बुद्धिः स्कन्धः यस्य, महती शाखा यस्य)

• indriya-antara-koṭaraḥ: having the sense-organs as inner hollows/cavities
• indriya-antara-koṭaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (इन्द्रियाणि अन्तराणि कोटराणि यस्य)

• mahā-bhūta-pramāṇaḥ: having the great elements as its measure
• mahā-bhūta-pramāṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (महाभूतानि प्रमाणं/परिमाणं यस्य)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• viśeṣa-amala-pallavaḥ: having pure tender shoots as the particulars
• viśeṣa-amala-pallavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + amala (प्रातिपदिक) + pallava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (विशेषाः अमलाः पल्लवाः यस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents creation as a symbolic “tree” of tattvas—buddhi, senses, and elements—showing that the manifest world proceeds from the Unmanifest and ultimately stands by Īśvara’s grace; liberation comes by discerning Pati (Shiva) as transcending these evolutes.

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

By describing the cosmos as an evolute dependent on the Lord’s anugraha, it supports Linga-worship as a concrete focus for the devotee to approach Saguna Shiva, while remembering that Shiva also surpasses the unmanifest and manifest principles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A contemplative practice of tattva-viveka (discrimination): while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditate that buddhi, senses, and elements are branches of manifestation, and seek refuge in Shiva as Pati—the source and liberator beyond them.