Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । त्वत्तो लब्धपदा एव सर्वे ब्रह्मादयः सुराः । तथाप्याराध्य तपसा ब्रह्माणं त्वन्नियोगतः

Transliteration

devyuvāca | tvatto labdhapadā eva sarve brahmādayaḥ surāḥ | tathāpyārādhya tapasā brahmāṇaṃ tvanniyogataḥ

Translation

The Goddess said: “From You alone have all the gods—beginning with Brahmā—obtained their stations and powers. Even so, in accordance with Your command, they worship Brahmā through austerity.”}]}

Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tvattaḥ: from you
• tvattaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• labdha-padāḥ: having obtained their posts
• labdha-padāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha (कृदन्त; √labh धातु) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'those whose positions are obtained'

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), particle/emphasis (निपात)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• brahmādayaḥ: Brahmā and the others
• brahmādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'Brahmā and others'

• surāḥ: gods
• surāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tathāpi: even so/nevertheless
• tathāpi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), concessive adverb/particle (क्रियाविशेषण+निपात)

• ārādhya: having worshipped/propitiated
• ārādhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rādh (धातु) + ā- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal (अव्ययकृदन्त)

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvat-niyogataḥ: by/according to your command
• tvat-niyogataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + niyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'your' + 'command/appointment'

Speaker

Parvati (Devi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devi (Parvati)

FAQs

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

It affirms Shaiva Siddhanta’s core view that Pati (Shiva) is the ultimate source of all authority and divine functions; even exalted deities act within the order established by Him.

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

By stating that all divine stations arise from the Supreme Lord, it supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga-upasana) as devotion to the primal source behind Brahma and the devas, not merely to secondary cosmic administrators.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights tapas (disciplined austerity) performed in obedience to Shiva’s injunction—practically expressed through steady japa of Shiva-mantra (such as the Panchakshara), along with regulated vrata and meditation.