Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara

Devanagari script

समस्तलोकयात्रार्थं मूर्तिमाविश्य कामपि । क्रीडसे २ विविधैर्भावैः कस्त्वां जानाति तत्त्वतः

Transliteration

samastalokayātrārthaṃ mūrtimāviśya kāmapi | krīḍase 2 vividhairbhāvaiḥ kastvāṃ jānāti tattvataḥ

Translation

Pour que la marche de tous les mondes demeure ordonnée, tu entres dans la forme que tu choisis. Tu joues ta līlā en d’innombrables états—qui donc peut te connaître selon ta réalité véritable ?

Word by Word

• समस्तलोकयात्रार्थम्: for the purpose of the course of all worlds
• समस्तलोकयात्रार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose adjunct)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त + लोक + यात्रा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थक (‘for the purpose of the journey/continuance of all worlds’)

• मूर्तिम्: a form
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आविश्य: having entered; having assumed
• आविश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + विश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having entered/assuming’

• काम्: some (form)
• काम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: का (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टा (indefinite)

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• क्रीडसे: you play; you sport
• क्रीडसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणं (qualifying भावैः)

• भावैः: states; modes; dispositions
• भावैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative)

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्त्वतः: truly; in essence
• तत्त्वतः: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (प्रकार-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘in truth/according to reality’

Speaker

A devotee/sage addressing Lord Shiva (as Pati, the Supreme) within Suta Goswami’s Vayu Samhita narration

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: samastalokayātrārthaṃ mūrtim āviśya kām api | krīḍase vividhair bhāvaiḥ kas tvāṃ jānāti tattvataḥ ||

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Ongoing jagad-yātrā (cosmic order) maintained through Śiva’s assumption of forms.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms Shiva as the transcendent Pati who freely takes saguna forms for cosmic order, yet remains ultimately beyond complete intellectual grasp; true knowing arises through grace, devotion, and inner realization.

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

Since Shiva ‘enters any form,’ the Linga is honored as a focused, sanctified form through which devotees approach the formless truth; worship begins with saguna support and matures toward recognition of Shiva’s nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both form and beyond form while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); let changing emotions (bhāvas) be witnessed as Shiva’s līlā, supported by steady japa and dhyāna.