Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

तत्त्वादपि परं तत्त्वमतत्त्वं परमार्थतः । कारणेषु त्रयातीतान्मायाविक्षोभकारणात्

Transliteration

tattvādapi paraṃ tattvamatattvaṃ paramārthataḥ | kāraṇeṣu trayātītānmāyāvikṣobhakāraṇāt

Translation

Dans la vérité suprême, Il est la Réalité au‑delà même des catégories du réel (tattva) : l’« a‑tattva », le transcendant sans catégorie. Il se tient au‑delà des trois principes causaux, étant la cause qui met Māyā en agitation (vikṣobha) et inaugure la manifestation.

Word by Word

• tattvāt: from (the) tattva / principle
• tattvāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• param: higher / supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• tattvam: principle / reality
• tattvam: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• a-tattvam: non-tattva / beyond principle (the unconditioned)
• a-tattvam: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (नञ्-प्रत्यय) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासभाव (negated nominal)

• paramārthataḥ: in the ultimate sense / truly
• paramārthataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramārtha (प्रातिपदिक) + taḥ (अव्यय-तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘in truth/ultimately’

• kāraṇeṣu: among the causes
• kāraṇeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• traya-atītāt: from that which is beyond the triad
• traya-atītāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √i (धातु) with ati- ‘to go beyond’)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘त्रयान् अतीतः’ (beyond the triad)

• māyā-vikṣobha-kāraṇāt: from the cause of Māyā’s agitation
• māyā-vikṣobha-kāraṇāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vikṣobha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘मायायाः विक्षोभस्य कारणम्’ (cause of Māyā’s agitation)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-level manifestation implied (māyā-vikṣobha initiating sṛṣṭi)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati—the Absolute who is beyond all tattva-categories and even beyond causal triads—yet who initiates manifestation by activating Māyā; liberation comes from knowing Him as transcendent to bondage (pāśa).

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

Though Shiva is described as beyond all categories (atattva), devotees approach Him through saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga; the liṅga is a meditative symbol pointing to the formless Supreme who also governs Māyā and creation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as the Supreme beyond tattvas while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) is performed; maintain purity with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and steady yoga-like attention to rise beyond Māyā’s agitation.