Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

यामाहुस्तामसीं रौद्रीं मूर्तिमंतकरीं हरेः । सृजत्यशेषमीशस्य शासनाच्चतुराननः

Transliteration

yāmāhustāmasīṃ raudrīṃ mūrtimaṃtakarīṃ hareḥ | sṛjatyaśeṣamīśasya śāsanāccaturānanaḥ

Translation

Aquello que llaman el poder tamásico y raudrī, fiero y causante de la manifestación encarnada: bajo el mandato del Señor (Īśa), el Brahmā de cuatro rostros crea todo el resto de la creación.

Word by Word

• याम्: whom/which
• याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; Accusative singular (relative pronoun)

• आहुः: they call/say
• आहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Perfect 3rd pl ‘they say/said’

• तामसीम्: tāmasī (dark/ignorant)
• तामसीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; Accusative singular

• रौद्रीम्: fierce/raudrī
• रौद्रीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; Accusative singular

• मूर्तिमत्-करīm: making embodied
• मूर्तिमत्-करīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्तिमत् (प्रातिपदिक) + करिन्/करी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; tatpuruṣa ‘making (it) embodied / causing embodiment’

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; Genitive singular

• सृजति: creates
• सृजति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 3rd sg

• अशेषम्: entirely
• अशेषम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; Accusative singular used adverbially ‘entirely/without remainder’

• ईशस्य: of the Lord
• ईशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; Genitive singular

• शासनात्: from/according to the command
• शासनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (हेतु/अपादान) एकवचन; Ablative singular

• चतुराननः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुराननः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ‘one who has four faces’ (Brahmā)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-sṛṣṭi (cosmic emanation under divine ordinance)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It asserts Pati (Īśa/Śiva) as the supreme governor: even cosmic creation proceeds through Brahmā only by Śiva’s ordinance, showing that all powers function under the Lord’s sovereignty.

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

By presenting Īśa as the commanding source behind all manifestation, it supports Saguna worship (including the Liṅga) as devotion to the very Lord whose śāsana empowers the cosmic functions of Brahmā and Hari.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as Īśa (the inner ruler) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to align one’s will with the divine śāsana that governs creation and liberation.