Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

सत्त्वं रजश्च ब्रह्मा च कालत्वे च तमो रजः । विष्णुत्वे केवलं सत्त्वं गुणवृद्धिस्त्रिधा विभौ

Transliteration

sattvaṃ rajaśca brahmā ca kālatve ca tamo rajaḥ | viṣṇutve kevalaṃ sattvaṃ guṇavṛddhistridhā vibhau

Translation

Dans l’état de Brahmā se trouvent sattva et rajas ; et dans l’état de Kāla, le Temps, se trouvent tamas et rajas. Mais dans l’état de Viṣṇu, il n’y a que sattva. Ainsi, chez le Seigneur qui pénètre tout, l’accroissement—la prédominance manifeste—des guṇa est triple.

Word by Word

• sattvam: Sattva guna
• sattvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• rajaḥ: Rajas guna
• rajaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• brahmā: Lord Brahma
• brahmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kālatve: in the state of Time
• kālatve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tamaḥ: Tamas guna
• tamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• viṣṇutve: in the state of Vishnu
• viṣṇutve: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇutva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• kevalam: only/pure
• kevalam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• guṇa-vṛddhiḥ: increase of gunas
• guṇa-vṛddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa, vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• vibhau: in the Lord
• vibhau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Kala

FAQs

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

It explains that the cosmic roles (creation, preservation, time/dissolution) manifest through different predominances of the three guṇas, while the supreme Lord (Śiva) remains the all-pervading source who governs these guṇic functions.

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

Worship of the Liṅga/Saguṇa Śiva is worship of the Lord who transcends the guṇas yet empowers their threefold operation; devotion centers on Śiva as the master of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Kāla rather than on guṇic nature itself.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is guṇa-śuddhi through japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa, cultivating sattva while aiming to transcend all three guṇas in Śiva-consciousness.