Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

तत्र तत्र चतुर्वक्त्रा ब्रह्माणो हरयो भवाः । सृष्टा प्रधानेन तथा लब्ध्वा शंभोस्तु सन्निधिम्

Transliteration

tatra tatra caturvaktrā brahmāṇo harayo bhavāḥ | sṛṣṭā pradhānena tathā labdhvā śaṃbhostu sannidhim

Translation

Ici et là furent manifestés par Pradhāna des Brahmās à quatre visages, des Vishṇus et des Rudras (Bhavas). Ainsi nés, ils obtinrent la sainte proximité de Śambhu, le Seigneur Śiva.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• तत्र: in each place
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (repetition) emphatic/distributive: ‘here and there’

• चतुर्-वक्त्राः: four-faced
• चतुर्-वक्त्राः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य’ = four-faced; ‘ब्रह्माणः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• ब्रह्माणः: Brahmās (creator-gods)
• ब्रह्माणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• हरयः: Harīs (Viṣṇus)
• हरयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भवाः: Bhavas (Śivas/Rudras)
• भवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सृष्टाः: created
• सृष्टाः: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → सृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle): created

• प्रधानेन: by Pradhāna
• प्रधानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण (instrument/agentive means)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having obtained

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/contrast

• सन्निधिम्: presence; proximity
• सन्निधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object of ‘लब्ध्वा’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: emanation of multiple Brahmās, Viṣṇus, and Rudras across innumerable universes

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that even the highest cosmic offices—Brahmā (creation), Viṣṇu (sustenance), and Rudra (dissolution)—arise within Pradhāna, yet their fulfillment is to gain Śambhu’s sannidhi, pointing to Shiva as the supreme Pati and final refuge.

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

“Attaining Śambhu’s presence” aligns with Saguna upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva through accessible forms such as the Śiva-liṅga, where divine sannidhi is ritually invoked and experienced as grace (anugraha).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to cultivate “sannidhi” through daily liṅga-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and contemplative remembrance of Śambhu as the inner Lord beyond Pradhāna.