Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

येनादौ मोहितौ स्यातां ब्रह्मनारायणावपि । पुरा त्रिभुवनस्यास्य प्रलये समुपस्थिते

Transliteration

yenādau mohitau syātāṃ brahmanārāyaṇāvapi | purā tribhuvanasyāsya pralaye samupasthite

Translation

Par Lui, même Brahmā et Nārāyaṇa furent, au commencement, plongés dans l’illusion—lorsque jadis s’approchait la dissolution (pralaya) de ce triple monde.

Word by Word

• येन: by which/whereby
• येन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (in the beginning)

• मोहितौ: deluded
• मोहितौ: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मुह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• स्याताम्: might be/were
• स्याताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्म-नारायणौ: Brahmā and Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)
• ब्रह्म-नारायणौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• त्रि-भुवनस्य: of the three worlds
• त्रि-भुवनस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three worlds)

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रलये: at the dissolution
• प्रलये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• समुपस्थिते: when (it) had arrived/was present
• समुपस्थिते: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Locative absolute qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Alludes to the Liṅgodbhava motif: at (or near) pralaya, Brahmā and Viṣṇu become deluded, unable to fathom the Lord’s beginning/end—highlighting Śiva’s transcendence and the function of concealment (tirodhāna).

Significance: Instills humility: even cosmic deities are subject to delusion before the Supreme; devotees seek refuge in Śiva for release from māyā and limitation.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya (dissolution of the three worlds)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu (Narayana)

FAQs

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

It asserts Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord beyond cosmic functions—whose māyā can veil even Brahmā and Viṣṇu, teaching that liberation requires grace and right knowledge, not mere cosmic power.

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

The verse points to the transcendent Shiva who is known through His manifest signs; Linga worship honors that supreme Pati who reveals Himself even when the cosmos nears dissolution and ordinary supports of knowledge fail.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steadfast japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with devotion and discernment, praying for Shiva’s anugraha (grace) to cut through moha (delusion).