Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

ततस्स लब्धविज्ञानो विश्वकर्मा चतुर्मुखः । असृजत्सर्वभूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च

Transliteration

tatassa labdhavijñāno viśvakarmā caturmukhaḥ | asṛjatsarvabhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca

Translation

Alors Brahmā aux quatre visages—Viśvakarmā—ayant obtenu la connaissance véritable, créa tous les êtres, tant les immobiles que les mobiles.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• लब्धविज्ञानः: having attained knowledge
• लब्धविज्ञानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (√लभ् धातु; क्त-कृदन्त) + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य विज्ञानं लब्धम् सः (one who has obtained knowledge)

• विश्वकर्मा: Viśvakarmā (divine architect)
• विश्वकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम; समास: विश्वस्य कर्म (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• चतुर्मुखः: four-faced
• चतुर्मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य चत्वारि मुखानि सः

• असृजत्: created
• असृजत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: सर्वाणि भूतानि

• स्थावराणि: immobile
• स्थावराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वभूतानि’ इति विशेषण

• चराणि: mobile
• चराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वभूतानि’ इति विशेषण

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: sṛṣṭi—emanation of sthāvara and cara beings

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames creation as an ordered manifestation arising when Brahmā gains proper vijñāna (discriminative, realized knowledge). In a Shaiva Siddhanta reading, such creative activity functions within the higher sovereignty of Pati (Śiva), while the created beings (paśu) enter embodied existence with varying degrees of limitation.

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

By highlighting Brahmā as an instrument of creation, the verse implicitly points beyond the creator to the Supreme Lord who is worshipped as Saguna Śiva (including the Liṅga form). Devotion to the Liṅga centers the seeker on Pati, the transcendent source, rather than on secondary cosmic functions like creation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to cultivate vijñāna through Śiva-upāsanā—steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditation on Śiva as the inner ruler—so one is not bound by the created categories of movable and immovable existence.