Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause

Devanagari script

एकादशं मनस्तत्र स्वगुणेनोभयात्मकम् । तमोयुक्तादहंकाराद्भूततन्मात्रसंभवः

Transliteration

ekādaśaṃ manastatra svaguṇenobhayātmakam | tamoyuktādahaṃkārādbhūtatanmātrasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

Là, comme onzième principe, naît le Mental (manas), qui par sa nature propre participe des deux : puissance de connaître et puissance d’agir. De l’egoïté (ahaṅkāra) jointe au tamas se manifestent les essences subtiles (tanmātras) et les éléments grossiers (bhūtas).

Word by Word

• एकादशम्: the eleventh
• एकादशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical): ‘एक+दश’ = eleven; ‘मनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• स्व-गुणेन: by its own quality
• स्व-गुणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘स्वस्य गुणः’ → ‘स्वगुण’; करण (instrument)

• उभय-आत्मकम्: of dual nature (both)
• उभय-आत्मकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभय (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘उभयः आत्मा यस्य’ = having a dual nature; ‘मनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तमः-युक्तात्: from (the) tamas-associated
• तमः-युक्तात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तमसा युक्तः’ (associated with tamas); अपादान (source)

• अहंकारात्: from ego-principle (ahaṃkāra)
• अहंकारात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अपादान (source)

• भूत-तन्मात्र-सम्भवः: the origin/production of elements and tanmātras
• भूत-तन्मात्र-सम्भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्मात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘भूतानां तन्मात्राणां सम्भवः’ / ‘भूततन्मात्रयोः सम्भवः’ (source/production); ‘(सः)’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/विधेय

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vayu Samhita’s Shaiva cosmology to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: manas as 11th; tāmasa ahaṃkāra producing tanmātras and bhūtas

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps bondage at the level of mind and ego: when ahaṅkāra is colored by tamas, consciousness turns outward into subtle and gross matter. Shaiva Siddhanta reads this as the chain by which the paśu becomes entangled in pāśa, to be released by turning the mind back toward Pati (Shiva).

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

Linga-worship disciplines the mind that is ‘ubhayātmaka’ (both knowing and acting) and redirects it from tamasic ego-driven projection toward a single sacred focus—Saguna Shiva as the accessible doorway to realizing Shiva beyond the tattvas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) with steady dhyāna on the Shiva-Linga is a direct remedy: it quiets tamas in ahaṅkāra, refines the mind, and supports inner detachment from the bhūtas and tanmātras.