Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

Śiva’s Boon to Viśvakarman and the Manifestation of Devī

Bhavānī/Parāśakti

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणो वचनाद्देवी दक्षस्य दुहिताभवत् । दत्त्वैवमतुलां शक्तिं ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्मरूपिणीम्

Transliteration

brahmaṇo vacanāddevī dakṣasya duhitābhavat | dattvaivamatulāṃ śaktiṃ brahmaṇe brahmarūpiṇīm

Translation

By Brahmā’s command, the Goddess became Dakṣa’s daughter; and that Goddess—whose very nature is Brahman—bestowed upon Brahmā an incomparable Power.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वचनात्: from (his) word/command
• वचनात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दक्षस्य: of Dakṣa
• दक्षस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दुहिता: daughter
• दुहिता: प्रेडिकेट-नाम (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having given’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• अतुलाम्: incomparable
• अतुलाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘शक्तिम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• शक्तिम्: power
• शक्तिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मरूपिणीम्: having the form/nature of Brahman
• ब्रह्मरूपिणीम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘शक्तिम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म-रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्म + रूपिणी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मरूपा)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devi (Shakti/Parvati)
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It presents the Goddess as Brahman-natured Śakti who enters embodied lineage (as Dakṣa’s daughter) by divine ordinance, showing that liberation-oriented truth (Brahman/Śakti) also operates within worldly creation for dharma and the unfolding of Śiva’s līlā.

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

By affirming Śakti as Brahman-rūpiṇī, the verse supports Saguna worship (Śiva with Śakti, including Liṅga devotion) as a valid doorway to realizing the Nirguna ground—Śiva-Śakti as the supreme reality behind manifested forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva-Śakti non-difference while doing simple Liṅga-pūjā: apply tripuṇḍra (bhasma), repeat the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and meditate that all power (śakti) arises from the Supreme.