Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

Śiva’s Boon to Viśvakarman and the Manifestation of Devī

Bhavānī/Parāśakti

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा परमेशानीं सर्वलोकमहेश्वरीम् । सर्वज्ञां सर्वगां सूक्ष्मां सदसद्व्यक्तिवर्जिताम्

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā parameśānīṃ sarvalokamaheśvarīm | sarvajñāṃ sarvagāṃ sūkṣmāṃ sadasadvyaktivarjitām

Translation

Seeing Her—Parameśānī, the Supreme Goddess, the Great Sovereign Lady of all the worlds—he beheld the all-knowing, all-pervading, subtle Reality, transcending being and non-being, and free from the limits of manifest individuality.

Word by Word

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having seen’

• parameśānīm: the Supreme Lady (Īśānī)
• parameśānīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + īśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘परमा ईशानी’ (the supreme goddess)

• sarva-loka-maheśvarīm: mistress of all worlds
• sarva-loka-maheśvarīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + loka + maheśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां लोकानां महेश्वरी) ‘great sovereign of all worlds’

• sarvajñām: omniscient
• sarvajñām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘सर्वं जानातीति’ (omniscient)

• sarvagām: all-pervading
• sarvagām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘सर्वत्र गच्छती’ (all-pervading)

• sūkṣmām: subtle
• sūkṣmām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sat-asat-vyakti-varjitām: devoid of manifestation as being/non-being
• sat-asat-vyakti-varjitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat + asat + vyakti + varjita (कृदन्त; √vṛj/√varj धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष-प्रधान) ‘सत्-असत्-व्यक्तिः’ इति सम्बन्धः; ‘varjita’ (क्त) = devoid of; अर्थः ‘सत्-असत्-व्यक्तिभ्यां वर्जिता’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Parameśānī (the Divine Power of Śiva) as both immanent and transcendent—subtle, all-pervading, and beyond the dualities of sat and asat—guiding the seeker to see the Goddess not merely as a form, but as the supreme Reality supporting liberation.

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

While the Liṅga supports saguna worship through a sacred symbol, this verse points to the same Truth as ultimately subtle and beyond manifest individuality; thus, Liṅga-upāsanā matures devotion from form-based reverence to recognition of the all-pervading Shiva-Shakti principle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on the all-pervading subtle presence of Shiva-Shakti while repeating the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), letting the mind move from external form to inner pervasion; Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa may be worn as aids to steadiness and remembrance.