Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

विभूतिविस्तरप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Expansion of Śiva’s Vibhūti

Devanagari script

तस्माज्जांबवतीसूनुं सांबं चक्रे स नामतः । तदेतत्कथितं सर्वं कृष्णस्यामितकर्मणः

Transliteration

tasmājjāṃbavatīsūnuṃ sāṃbaṃ cakre sa nāmataḥ | tadetatkathitaṃ sarvaṃ kṛṣṇasyāmitakarmaṇaḥ

Translation

Ainsi, il donna au fils de Jāmbavatī le nom de « Sāmba ». De la sorte, tout cela a été rapporté : le récit de Kṛṣṇa, dont les actes sont sans mesure.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अपादानार्थे/हेतौ—“therefore/from that (cause)”

• जाम्बवती-सूनुम्: the son of Jāmbavatī
• जाम्बवती-सूनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाम्बवती (प्रातिपदिक) + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—“जाम्बवत्याः सूनुः” (son of Jāmbavatī)

• साम्बम्: Sāmba
• साम्बम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (object/apposition to previous)

• चक्रे: made; named
• चक्रे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; “made/created”

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

• नामतः: by name
• नामतः: Prakāra (प्रकार/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त—“by name/as to name”

• तत्: that
• तत्: Vishaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (demonstrative)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Vishaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (demonstrative)

• कथितम्: told; narrated
• कथितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; “has been told/said”

• सर्वम्: all; entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying “कथितम्/एतत्”)

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive)

• अमित-कर्मणः: of (him) whose deeds are immeasurable
• अमित-कर्मणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—“अमितं कर्म यस्य” (whose deeds are immeasurable) used as epithet of कृष्ण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Jambavati
• Samba

FAQs

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

It closes a narrative unit by affirming that divine actions are “immeasurable,” encouraging bhakti and humility before the Lord’s inscrutable līlā while keeping the Purāṇic focus on dharma and devotion.

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

Though the verse itself is genealogical, in the Vāyavīya tradition such narration functions as upodghāta (context-setting) that leads the listener toward Saguna devotion—ultimately culminating in Shiva-centric teachings where the Linga becomes the stable focus for worship amid changing worldly events.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

No specific rite is prescribed in this line; the practical takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Purāṇic kathā with reverence—supported, in Shaiva practice, by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a steady daily discipline.