Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

सर्वोपरिकृतावासस्सर्वावासश्च सर्ववित् । षड्विधाध्वमयस्यास्य सर्वस्य जगतः पतिः

Transliteration

sarvoparikṛtāvāsassarvāvāsaśca sarvavit | ṣaḍvidhādhvamayasyāsya sarvasya jagataḥ patiḥ

Translation

Il demeure au-dessus de toutes les demeures, et pourtant Il est l’Habitant intérieur de chaque demeure. Il est le Seigneur omniscient—Śiva, le Pati (Maître suprême) de cet univers tout entier, constitué des six voies (adhvan).

Word by Word

• सर्व-उपरि-कृत-आवासः: the abode made above all / supreme-made dwelling
• सर्व-उपरि-कृत-आवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय) + कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + आवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर्धारण/विशेषणपूर्वक)

• सर्व-आवासः: the abode of all
• सर्व-आवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्व-वित्: knower of all
• सर्व-वित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (विद् धातु/प्रातिपदिक ‘वित्’ = जानन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वित्’ (knower) इति निपातित-प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुषसमासः

• षड्-विध-अध्व-मयस्य: of (him/this) consisting of the sixfold path
• षड्-विध-अध्व-मयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षड्विधः अध्वा यस्य/यत् मयम्)

• अस्य: of this / of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it uses an Āgamic technicality—‘ṣaḍvidha-adhvan’—to describe the manifested order, over which Śiva is Pati, both transcendent (above all abodes) and immanent (indweller).

Significance: Encourages seeing every kṣetra and every ‘āvāsa’ as pervaded by Śiva, while maintaining His transcendence—supporting both temple worship (arcā) and inner worship (antar-yāga).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as both transcendent (beyond all abodes) and immanent (dwelling in all), affirming Him as Pati—the supreme Lord who governs the whole manifested order, leading the soul toward liberation.

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

The Liṅga symbolizes Śiva’s transcendence beyond form, while Saguna worship recognizes Him as the indwelling Lord in all beings; this verse unites both—He is above all yet present in every abode.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the all-pervading indweller while repeating the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); in worship, offer bilva and apply tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a reminder that the Lord pervades all states and worlds.