Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

शिवस्य विश्वव्याप्तिः—अष्टमूर्तिः पञ्चब्रह्म च | Śiva’s Cosmic Pervasion: Aṣṭamūrti and the Pañcabrahma Forms

Devanagari script

ईशानश्च महादेवो मूर्तयश्चाष्ट विश्रुताः

Transliteration

īśānaśca mahādevo mūrtayaścāṣṭa viśrutāḥ

Translation

Īśāna—Mahādeva—possède huit manifestations (mūrtis) illustres.

Word by Word

• ईशानः: Īśāna
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (the great god)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: महाः देवः

• मूर्तयः: forms
• मूर्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Numerical qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्द (numeral), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनार्थे (qualifying ‘मूर्तयः’)

• विश्रुताः: well-known
• विश्रुताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√श्रु (धातु) + त (क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (of ‘मूर्तयः’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that the one Supreme Pati (Śiva as Īśāna/Mahādeva) is approached through multiple celebrated manifestations, enabling devotees to meditate on the transcendent through accessible, worship-worthy forms.

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

By declaring Shiva’s renowned mūrtis, the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā: the devotee may worship Shiva through form (including the Śiva-liṅga as a principal icon) while recognizing the same Lord as ultimately beyond form (Nirguṇa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna and pūjā focused on Shiva’s manifestations—performing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Mahādeva as Īśāna, and offering simple upacāras to the liṅga with devotion.