Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30
रुद्रस्य परमात्मत्वे ब्रह्मपुत्रत्वादिसंशयप्रश्नः — Questions on Rudra’s Supremacy and His ‘Sonship’ to Brahmā
तव वामांगजो विष्णुर्दक्षिणांगभवो ह्यहम् । मया सह जगत्सर्वं तथाप्यसृजदच्युतः
tava vāmāṃgajo viṣṇurdakṣiṇāṃgabhavo hyaham | mayā saha jagatsarvaṃ tathāpyasṛjadacyutaḥ
“Viṣṇu is born from Your left side, and I indeed arise from Your right side. And yet, together with me, Acyuta (Viṣṇu) brought forth the entire universe.”
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: creative
Cosmic Event: kalpa (implied emanation of functional deities)
FAQs
It presents Shiva as the supreme Pati (Lord) from whom the cosmic functions proceed: Brahma and Vishnu arise from Shiva’s sides, indicating that their powers of creation and sustenance depend upon Shiva’s primacy.
By portraying all cosmic offices as emerging from Shiva, the verse supports Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upasana—as devotion to the root source behind Brahma’s and Vishnu’s roles, not merely to the roles themselves.
A practical takeaway is to meditate on Shiva as the inner Lord (Pati) while japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is done, remembering that all powers (including creation and preservation) are upheld by Shiva.