Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

स्मरणाद्देवदेवस्य भवस्यामिततेजसः । ज्ञातवान्सलिले मग्नां धरणीं धरणीपतिः

Transliteration

smaraṇāddevadevasya bhavasyāmitatejasaḥ | jñātavānsalile magnāṃ dharaṇīṃ dharaṇīpatiḥ

Translation

Par le souvenir de Bhava—Dieu des dieux, à l’éclat sans mesure—le Seigneur de la terre sut que la Terre avait sombré sous les eaux.

Word by Word

• स्मरणात्: from (the act of) remembering
• स्मरणात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the god of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• भवस्य: of Bhava (Śiva)
• भवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अमिततेजसः: of immeasurable splendor
• अमिततेजसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अमितं तेजो यस्य)

• ज्ञातवान्: having known; realized
• ज्ञातवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तवत्-कृदन्त (Perfect participle/भूतकृत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• सलिले: in the water
• सलिले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मग्नाम्: submerged
• मग्नाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मग्न (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-निष्पन्न विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; धरणीम् इति विशेषणम्

• धरणीम्: the Earth
• धरणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• धरणीपतिः: the lord of the Earth (Prajāpati)
• धरणीपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरण्याः पतिः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhava
• Earth (Dharani)

FAQs

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

It teaches that smaraṇa (remembrance) of Shiva (Pati), the supremely luminous Lord, awakens right knowledge and discernment—by grace, what is concealed (like the Earth submerged in waters) becomes known.

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

Bhava is invoked as the accessible Saguna form of Shiva whose remembrance stabilizes the mind; Linga-worship similarly anchors awareness in Shiva, leading to clarity and recognition of Shiva’s governing presence in the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-smaraṇa through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), ideally with Rudraksha and Tripuṇḍra, using steady remembrance as a daily sadhana for inner clarity.