Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

शृणु सत्यं चतुर्वक्त्र सर्वदेवेश्वरो ह्यहम् । कर्ता भर्ता च हर्ता च न मयास्ति समो विभुः

Transliteration

śṛṇu satyaṃ caturvaktra sarvadeveśvaro hyaham | kartā bhartā ca hartā ca na mayāsti samo vibhuḥ

Translation

Écoute la vérité, ô Brahmā aux quatre visages : Je suis en vérité le Seigneur de tous les dieux. Je suis l’agent, le soutien et Celui qui retire; Souverain qui pénètre tout, nul n’est mon égal.

Word by Word

• शृणु: hear/listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• चतुर्वक्त्र: O four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन (sg.); बहुव्रीहिः: चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य सः (O four-faced one)

• सर्वदेवेश्वरः: Lord of all gods
• सर्वदेवेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: सर्वदेवानाम् ईश्वरः

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; causal/emphatic)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); सर्वनाम

• कर्ता: creator/doer
• कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कर्तृ (कृदन्त, तृच्)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

• भर्ता: sustainer/bearer
• भर्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √भृ (धातु) → भर्तृ (कृदन्त, तृच्)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• हर्ता: destroyer/taker away
• हर्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √हृ (धातु) → हर्तृ (कृदन्त, तृच्)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• मया: than me/by me
• मया: Upamāna/Comparison base (उपमान-आश्रय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instr.), एकवचन (sg.); सर्वनाम

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• समः: equal
• समः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of अस्ति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषणम्

• विभुः: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse establishes Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who performs creation, preservation, and withdrawal—affirming that liberation comes through recognizing His unsurpassed sovereignty and taking refuge in Him.

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

By declaring Himself the Lord of all gods and the all-pervading Vibhu, Shiva supports Saguna worship—especially Linga-upasana—as a concrete focus through which devotees approach the same supreme reality who transcends all deities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is śaraṇāgati (surrender) supported by japa of the Panchakshara—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"—and steady contemplation of Shiva as the inner ruler who creates, sustains, and withdraws all.