Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

जय देवाद्यविज्ञेये स्वात्मसूक्ष्मदृशोज्ज्वले । जय स्थूलात्मशक्त्येशेजय व्याप्तचराचरे

Transliteration

jaya devādyavijñeye svātmasūkṣmadṛśojjvale | jaya sthūlātmaśaktyeśejaya vyāptacarācare

Translation

Victoire à Toi — inconnaissable même aux dieux les plus éminents, et pourtant resplendissant pour la vision subtile du Soi ! Victoire à Toi, Seigneur des puissances qui gouvernent l’existence incarnée ! Victoire à Toi qui pénètres tout, le mobile et l’immobile !

Word by Word

• जय: victory (hail!)
• जय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Invocation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; जय-शब्दः स्तुत्यर्थे निपात (benedictive exclamation)

• देव-आदि-अविज्ञेये: O unknowable even to the gods and others
• देव-आदि-अविज्ञेये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अविज्ञेय (प्रातिपदिक; वि+ज्ञा धातु से कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘देवाः आदयः येषां तैः अपि अविज्ञेयः’ (even by gods etc. unknowable)

• स्वात्म-सूक्ष्म-दृशः-उज्ज्वले: O radiant one with subtle vision of the Self
• स्वात्म-सूक्ष्म-दृशः-उज्ज्वले: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + दृश् (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘स्वात्मनः सूक्ष्मा दृक् यस्य’ इत्यर्थे (सूक्ष्मदृश्) + ‘उज्ज्वल’

• जय: hail!
• जय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Invocation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; स्तुत्यर्थ-निपात

• स्थूल-आत्म-शक्ति-ईशे: O lord of the power of the gross self
• स्थूल-आत्म-शक्ति-ईशे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘स्थूलात्मशक्तेः ईशः’ (lord of the power of the gross self/body)

• जय: hail!
• जय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Invocation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; स्तुत्यर्थ-निपात

• व्याप्त-चर-अचरे: O pervader of the moving and the unmoving
• व्याप्त-चर-अचरे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याप्त (प्रातिपदिक; वि+आप् धातु से क्त) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व: चर + अचर (moving and unmoving) उपरि ‘व्याप्त’ (pervading)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s praise within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It proclaims Shiva as transcendent (beyond even the gods’ intellect) and immanent (pervading all). In Shaiva Siddhanta, this points to Shiva as Pati—known not by ordinary thought, but by purified inner awareness and grace.

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

The Linga is a Saguna focus that leads the devotee to the truth expressed here: Shiva is not confined to any form, yet He is present in every form. Worship begins with a sacred symbol and matures into recognition of His all-pervasion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as ‘vyāpta’—present in breath, body, and the whole world—while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya). This supports inner subtle vision (sūkṣma-dṛṣṭi) and steady bhakti.