Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

माता मानं च मेयं च मतिं चाहुरथापरे । कर्ता क्रिया च कार्यं च करणं कारणं परे

Transliteration

mātā mānaṃ ca meyaṃ ca matiṃ cāhurathāpare | kartā kriyā ca kāryaṃ ca karaṇaṃ kāraṇaṃ pare

Translation

Algunos declaran que Él es el conocedor (sujeto), el medio del conocimiento, lo conocido (objeto) y el intelecto que conoce; otros proclaman que Él es el agente, el acto, el efecto, el instrumento y la causa misma. Así se enseña a Śiva como Pati, el Señor omnipenetrante, más allá de toda limitación.

Word by Word

• माता: mother
• माता: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानम्: measure / means of knowledge
• मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मेयम्: the measurable / object of knowledge
• मेयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मतिम्: intellect / cognition
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आहुः: said / call
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then / now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कर्ता: doer / agent
• कर्ता: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रिया: action
• क्रिया: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कार्यम्: effect / what is to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (form identical)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• करणम्: instrument / means
• करणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is not merely one object among others; He is present as the entire structure of knowing and doing—subject, knowledge, object, and also agent, action, and result—so liberation arises by recognizing the Lord as the inner reality of all experience.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to see one Lord pervading all names and forms; this verse supports that vision by declaring Śiva as both the worshipper and the worshipped, the means and the fruit—Saguna devotion leading into the realization of His all-pervading supremacy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate during japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) that every cognition and every action is offered into Śiva—performing daily pūjā with bhasma and rudrākṣa as reminders that the doer-ship and results belong to the Lord.