Shiva Purana — Kailasa Samhita, Shloka 25

सृष्टिपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Exposition of the Supreme Method of Creation and the Tirodhāna-Cakra

Devanagari script

स्थितिस्सृष्टस्य जगतस्तत्कर्त्रा सह पालनम् । आरब्धकर्मभोगान्तं जीवानां फलभोगिनाम्

Transliteration

sthitissṛṣṭasya jagatastatkartrā saha pālanam | ārabdhakarmabhogāntaṃ jīvānāṃ phalabhoginām

Translation

Le « maintien » (sthiti) de l’univers créé est sa protection et son entretien ordonné, accomplis avec son Créateur. Pour les âmes incarnées qui goûtent les fruits du karma, cela se poursuit jusqu’à l’épuisement du karma déjà engagé (ārabdha) par l’expérience vécue.

Word by Word

• स्थितिः: maintenance/sustenance
• स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सृष्टस्य: of the created
• सृष्टस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; from √sṛj धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies जगतः)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तत्-कर्त्रा: with/by its creator
• तत्-कर्त्रा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṛ धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'by/with its creator'; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक (prepositional indeclinable)

• पालनम्: protection/maintenance
• पालनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pālana (प्रातिपदिक; from √pāl धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (verbal noun)

• आरब्ध-कर्म-भोग-अन्तम्: lasting until the end of experiencing commenced karma
• आरब्ध-कर्म-भोग-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārabdha (कृदन्त; from ā√rabh धातु) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'up to the end of enjoyment of begun karma'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies पालनम्/स्थितिः as extending until...)

• जीवानाम्: of living beings
• जीवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• फल-भोगिनाम्: of those who experience the fruits (of actions)
• फल-भोगिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + bhogin (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhuj धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'enjoyers/experiencers of results'; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines ‘sthiti’ as Shiva’s ordered preservation of the cosmos while jīvas undergo prārabdha karma, implying that liberation arises when karmic fruition is exhausted and bondage (pāśa) is removed by the Lord’s grace.

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

Sthiti is understood as the Lord’s sustaining power; worship of the Śiva-liṅga (Saguna focus) aligns the devotee with that sustaining grace, helping purify karma and loosen attachment to karmic fruits.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate prārabdha with detachment while practicing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and maintaining Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to support steadiness and purification.