Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti

Devanagari script

मुनय ऊचुः । कथं जगदिदं कृत्स्नं विधाय च निधाय च । आज्ञया परमां क्रीडां करोति परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

munaya ūcuḥ | kathaṃ jagadidaṃ kṛtsnaṃ vidhāya ca nidhāya ca | ājñayā paramāṃ krīḍāṃ karoti parameśvaraḥ

Translation

The sages said: “How does the Supreme Lord—having fashioned this entire universe and then withdrawing it again—carry out His highest divine sport by His own sovereign command?”

Word by Word

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु; उवाच/ऊचुः-आदेश)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Determined)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कृत्स्नम्: entire, whole
• कृत्स्नम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of जगत्/इदम्)

• विधाय: having created/ordained
• विधाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), अर्थः—विधाय (having created/arranged)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• निधाय: having placed/withdrawn
• निधाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), अर्थः—निधाय (having placed/withdrawn/laid down)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• आज्ञया: by (his) command
• आज्ञया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (by/through command)

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paramā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (of क्रीडाम्)

• क्रीडाम्: play, sport
• क्रीडाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• करोति: does, performs
• करोति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvara (प्रातिपदिक; परम + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

Speaker

The sages (Munis) addressing the narrator (Suta Goswami) in the Vayu Samhita discourse

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-sṛṣṭi–pralaya cycle (implied)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames creation and dissolution as Śiva’s līlā governed by His ājñā (sovereign will), pointing the seeker toward trust in Pati—the Lord who alone directs bondage and release.

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

The Liṅga is worshipped as the sign of Parameśvara who transcends yet governs the cosmos; honoring Saguna Śiva through Liṅga-pūjā trains the mind to see all cosmic change as His ordered play.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner ruler (ājñā-dhāraka) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating surrender to His will alongside steady japa and śiva-smaraṇa.