Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टो ऽपि यः परैः । अलक्ष्यो लक्षयन्विश्वमधितिष्ठति सर्वदा

Transliteration

sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭo 'pi yaḥ paraiḥ | alakṣyo lakṣayanviśvamadhitiṣṭhati sarvadā

Translation

Bien qu’Il demeure à jamais assis dans le cœur de tous les êtres, ceux qui se tournent vers l’extérieur ne Le perçoivent pas. Invisible pour eux, Il n’en gouverne pas moins et soutient sans cesse l’univers entier, toujours présent comme son Souverain intérieur.

Word by Word

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• janānām: of people
• janānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• saṃniviṣṭaḥ: entered, seated within
• saṃniviṣṭaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-ni-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• api: even though, even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• paraiḥ: by others
• paraiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• alakṣyaḥ: imperceptible, not seen
• alakṣyaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-lakṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-उपसर्गयुक्त (negated adjective)

• lakṣayan: perceiving, observing
• lakṣayan: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lakṣ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; कर्मसापेक्ष

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• adhitiṣṭhati: presides over, governs
• adhitiṣṭhati: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'at all times')

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Antaryāmitva: the Lord enthroned in the heart; epistemic concealment for outward-turned beings (tirodhāna) alongside continual governance.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, the Pati (Lord), is the indwelling presence in every heart, yet remains unseen to those bound by pasha (bondage) and outward perception; liberation arises through inner recognition of His ever-present governance.

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

The Linga provides a sacred, visible support for devotion and concentration, guiding the mind from Saguna worship toward realization of the same Shiva as the subtle, unseen inner ruler described here.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Turn inward through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with dhyāna on Shiva in the heart; steady the mind so the unseen Lord becomes experientially known.