Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

यथार्थयुक्तसर्वार्थैर्वेदार्थपरिबृंहितैः । तुष्टाव देवं देवीं च सूक्तैः सूक्ष्मार्थगोचरैः

Transliteration

yathārthayuktasarvārthairvedārthaparibṛṃhitaiḥ | tuṣṭāva devaṃ devīṃ ca sūktaiḥ sūkṣmārthagocaraiḥ

Translation

Par des hymnes dont chaque sens était vrai et juste—nourris de l’intention des Veda et porteurs d’une subtile portée spirituelle—il loua à la fois le Seigneur (Śiva), le Pati suprême, et la Déesse (Devī), sa Śakti inséparable.

Word by Word

• यथार्थयुक्तसर्वार्थैः: with (hymns) endowed with true and complete meanings
• यथार्थयुक्तसर्वार्थैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथार्थ + युक्त + सर्वार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; युक्त = PPP from √युज् (joined/endowed): ‘endowed with true meanings and all meanings (properly)’

• वेदार्थपरिबृंहितैः: enriched by Vedic meaning
• वेदार्थपरिबृंहितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदार्थ + परिबृंहित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेदार्थैः परिबृंहित = expanded/strengthened by the meaning of the Vedas); परिबृंहित = PPP from √बृंह् with परि-

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; √स्तु with intensifying/reduplicated perfect form

• देवम्: the god (Śiva)
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देवीम्: the goddess (Devī)
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• सूक्तैः: with hymns
• सूक्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सूक्ष्मार्थगोचरैः: whose scope is subtle meaning
• सूक्ष्मार्थगोचरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्मार्थ + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सूक्ष्मार्थस्य गोचरः = having subtle meanings as their range)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse is meta-liturgical: it legitimizes stuti as Veda-sāra (enriched by Vedic purport) and explicitly includes Devī with Deva, reflecting the Purāṇic-Āgamic norm that many sthala-purāṇas praise the divine couple before narrating a site’s greatness.

Significance: Affirms that true pilgrimage includes praise (stuti) grounded in śruti-artha and directed to Śiva together with His inseparable Śakti—leading to anugraha (grace).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It affirms that true praise of Śiva and Devī is not mere poetry but speech aligned with reality (yathārtha) and grounded in Vedic purport—pointing to devotion informed by right understanding, a key Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis for progressing toward liberation.

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

By stressing Veda-supported hymns and subtle meaning, the verse supports Saguna worship—praising Śiva with form and attributes—while simultaneously indicating that such praise should reveal deeper tattvas, guiding the worshipper from outer devotion (including Liṅga-upāsanā) toward inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is stotra-japa and Veda-aligned recitation: chant hymns to Śiva and Devī with contemplation of their subtle meaning; this can be paired with daily Liṅga-pūjā, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) wearing, and mental repetition of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to deepen bhakti and insight.