Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35
मनु-शतरूपा-प्रसूतिः तथा दक्षकन्याविवाहाः
Manu–Śatarūpā, Prasūti, and the Marriages of Dakṣa’s Daughters
गोत्राणि नामभिस्तेषां वासिष्ठानां महात्मनाम् । स्वायंभुवे ऽंतरे ऽतीतान्यर्बुदानि शतानि च । इत्येष ऋषिसर्गस्तु सानुबंधः प्रकीर्तितः । समासाद्विस्तराद्वक्तुमशक्यो ऽयमिति द्विजाः
gotrāṇi nāmabhisteṣāṃ vāsiṣṭhānāṃ mahātmanām | svāyaṃbhuve 'ṃtare 'tītānyarbudāni śatāni ca | ityeṣa ṛṣisargastu sānubaṃdhaḥ prakīrtitaḥ | samāsādvistarādvaktumaśakyo 'yamiti dvijāḥ
Ainsi ont été proclamés les gotra et les noms de ces descendants de Vasiṣṭha, aux grandes âmes, avec leurs liens et leur succession. Dans le Manvantara de Svāyambhuva, d’innombrables koṭi—et même des centaines de koṭi—se sont déjà écoulés. C’est pourquoi, ô deux-fois-nés, cette genèse et cette propagation des ṛṣi ne peuvent être dites qu’en abrégé : en exposer tout le détail est impossible.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Cosmic Event: Svāyambhuva Manvantara chronology; immeasurable passage of yugas/manvantaric time
FAQs
It emphasizes the immensity of cosmic time and creation: worldly lineages and numbers are practically uncountable, encouraging the seeker to turn from mere enumeration toward the Shaiva aim—realizing Pati (Shiva) beyond the endless flow of names and forms.
By showing that the universe’s details are limitless, the text indirectly points to the Linga as the accessible focus of Saguna worship—one stable symbol through which devotees approach the transcendent Shiva who stands beyond all expanding genealogies.
The takeaway is steadiness: instead of getting lost in countless details, anchor practice in daily Shiva-upasana—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga worship with devotion.