Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

प्रसादेन विना तस्य न वर्धेरन्निमाः प्रजाः । एवं संचिन्त्य विश्वात्मा तपः कर्तुं प्रचक्रमे

Transliteration

prasādena vinā tasya na vardherannimāḥ prajāḥ | evaṃ saṃcintya viśvātmā tapaḥ kartuṃ pracakrame

Translation

«Sans Sa grâce, ces êtres créés ne s’épanouiraient pas véritablement.» Ayant ainsi réfléchi, l’Âme universelle (Viśvātmā) entreprit le tapas, l’austère discipline yogique, afin d’obtenir cette faveur divine.

Word by Word

• प्रसादेन: by grace
• प्रसादेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental: “by/through grace”)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable governing तृतीया/पञ्चमी; here: “without”)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive: “of him/its”)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वर्धेरन्: would grow
• वर्धेरन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/संभावना), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (of प्रजाः)

• प्रजाः: creatures
• प्रजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: “thus”)

• संचिन्त्य: having reflected
• संचिन्त्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चिन्त् (धातु) → संचिन्त्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): “having reflected”

• विश्वात्मा: the universal-souled one
• विश्वात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समास: विश्वात्मा = “whose self is the universe / universal self”

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): “to do/perform”

• प्रचक्रमे: set about/began
• प्रचक्रमे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis that true welfare and spiritual progress arise from Pati’s (Lord Shiva’s) prasada; effort such as tapas becomes fruitful when oriented toward receiving divine anugraha.

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

Grace is sought through disciplined worship—commonly Linga-upasana with mantra and purity—where Saguna Shiva is approached as the compassionate Lord who bestows prasada, enabling both worldly harmony and inner liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Tapas in a Shaiva mode: steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditation on Shiva as Pati, and regulated conduct; supportive observances like bhasma (Tripundra) and rudraksha may be adopted according to capacity.