Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

षडध्ववेदनम् (Ṣaḍadhva-vedanam) — The Sixfold Path: Sound, Meaning, and Tattva-Distribution

Devanagari script

कलाभिस्तानि तत्त्वानि व्याप्तान्येव यथातथम् । परस्याः प्रकृतेरादौ पञ्चधा परिणामतः

Transliteration

kalābhistāni tattvāni vyāptānyeva yathātatham | parasyāḥ prakṛterādau pañcadhā pariṇāmataḥ

Translation

Ces tattvas sont, en vérité, pénétrés par les kalās (énergies divines) exactement tels qu’ils sont. Au commencement de la Prakṛti suprême, par le processus de transformation, ils se déploient en cinq modalités.

Word by Word

• कलाभिः: by/with the kalās (parts/powers)
• कलाभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; साधन/व्याप्ति-हेतुः

• तानि: those
• तानि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘तत्त्वानि’

• तत्त्वानि: principles/tattvas
• तत्त्वानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• व्याप्तानि: pervaded
• व्याप्तानि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle/कर्मणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् ‘तत्त्वानि’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis particle)

• यथा-तथम्: in due manner/as appropriate
• यथा-तथम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा+तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समास (copulative of indeclinables); प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• परस्याः: of the supreme
• परस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘प्रकृतेः’

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakṛti
• प्रकृतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; काल/अवस्था-वाचक (in the beginning)

• पञ्चधा: fivefold
• पञ्चधा: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्चधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner) ‘in five ways’

• परिणामतः: by transformation
• परिणामतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परिणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; हेत्वर्थ/प्रकारार्थ: ‘by/through transformation’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic emanation (sṛṣṭi-krama) from Parā Prakṛti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Prakriti

FAQs

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

It frames creation as a structured unfolding of tattvas within Supreme Prakriti, all pervaded by higher kalās—pointing to Shiva’s immanent governance of the cosmos and the seeker’s need to discern these layers to move toward liberation.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to perceive the One Lord as both transcendent and pervading; this verse supports that vision by stating that the categories of manifestation are penetrated by divine energies, making Saguna worship a doorway to realizing the all-pervading Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation) during japa of the Panchakshara—mentally offering the fivefold evolution back into Shiva—supported by Shaiva disciplines like vibhuti (Tripundra) and steady dhyana on the Linga as the ground of all tattvas.