Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

रुद्रस्य परमात्मत्वे ब्रह्मपुत्रत्वादिसंशयप्रश्नः — Questions on Rudra’s Supremacy and His ‘Sonship’ to Brahmā

Devanagari script

परस्परेण जायंते परस्परहितैषिणः । तत्तत्कल्पान्तवृत्तान्तमधिकृत्य महर्षिभिः

Transliteration

paraspareṇa jāyaṃte parasparahitaiṣiṇaḥ | tattatkalpāntavṛttāntamadhikṛtya maharṣibhiḥ

Translation

Ils naissent l’un de l’autre en succession, recherchant toujours le bien de l’autre. Ainsi, les grands sages, prenant pour thème les récits des fins de divers kalpas, ont exposé ces enseignements.

Word by Word

• परस्परेण: by/through one another; mutually
• परस्परेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (common usage), तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• जायन्ते: are born/arise
• जायन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Present 3rd plural (middle)

• परस्पर-हित-एषिणः: those who seek one another’s welfare
• परस्पर-हित-एषिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक) + एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष (परस्परस्य हितम् एषन्ति)

• तत्-तत्-कल्प-अन्त-वृत्तान्तम्: the account of each dissolution (end) of a kalpa
• तत्-तत्-कल्प-अन्त-वृत्तान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्तान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कल्पान्तस्य वृत्तान्तः) + पुनरुक्त-तत् (each and every)

• अधिकृत्य: having taken as the topic; concerning
• अधिकृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); having taken up/with reference to

• महर्षिभिः: by the great sages
• महर्षिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpānta narratives as a teaching device for cyclic time

Characters & Entities

• Maharsis

FAQs

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

It frames Purāṇic narration as a compassionate, welfare-driven transmission: sages recount cosmic cycles (kalpa and their endings) so beings may gain right understanding (jñāna) and turn toward Shiva, the Pati beyond time, for liberation.

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

By emphasizing kalpa-end narratives, it implicitly points to the impermanence of manifested worlds; Saguna worship of Shiva—especially the Linga as the stable focus—anchors the devotee in the Eternal while learning that all forms dissolve at pralaya.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and manana (reflection) on Shiva-centered teachings; pair this with daily japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to cultivate steadiness amid changing cycles.