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Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 61

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

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

रचयित्वांजलिं मूर्ध्नि भीतौ तौ वाचमूचतुः । ब्रह्मोवाच । अज्ञो वाहमभिज्ञो वा त्वयादौ देव निर्मितः

racayitvāṃjaliṃ mūrdhni bhītau tau vācamūcatuḥ | brahmovāca | ajño vāhamabhijño vā tvayādau deva nirmitaḥ

Saisis de crainte, tous deux joignirent les mains sur la tête et parlèrent. Brahmā dit : « Que je sois ignorant ou savant, ô Deva, au commencement j’ai été créé par Toi. »

racayitvāhaving made/arranged
racayitvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootrac (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ktvā), from √rac; indeclinable verbal form (avyaya-kṛdanta); sense: having arranged/made
añjalimthe folded hands (añjali)
añjalim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootañjali (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
mūrdhnion (their) head
mūrdhni:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootmūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘on the head’
bhītauafraid
bhītau:
Viśeṣaṇa of kartā (कर्ता-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhīta (प्रातिपदिक; √bhī + क्त)
FormPast passive participle used adjectivally; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)
tauthose two
tau:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Dual
vācamspeech/words
vācam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvāc (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular
ūcatuḥthey spoke
ūcatuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्/liṭ), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन); from √vac ‘to speak’
brahmāBrahmā
brahmā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Singular
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; from √vac
ajñaḥignorant
ajñaḥ:
Pradhāna-nāmabhāva (predicate nominative/विशेष्य-भाव)
TypeAdjective
Rootajña (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Singular
or
:
Sambandha/connector (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
FormParticle (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय) expressing alternative ‘or’
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun; Nominative (1st), Singular
abhijñaḥknowing, well-informed
abhijñaḥ:
Pradhāna-nāmabhāva (predicate nominative/विशेष्य-भाव)
TypeAdjective
Rootabhijña (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st), Singular
or
:
Sambandha/connector (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
FormParticle (विकल्पार्थक) ‘or’
tvayāby you
tvayā:
Karaṇa/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
TypeNoun
Rootyuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
ādauin the beginning
ādau:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in the beginning/at first’
devaO god
deva:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular
nirmitaḥcreated, made
nirmitaḥ:
Pradhāna-nāmabhāva (predicate/विशेष्य-भाव)
TypeAdjective
Rootnirmita (प्रातिपदिक; √mā + नि + क्त)
FormPast passive participle; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with ‘aham’ (understood)

Brahma

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

B
Brahma
S
Shiva

FAQs

It teaches Shaiva Siddhanta humility and dependence: even Brahmā admits his status—ignorant or wise—arises because Shiva (Pati) is the primordial cause who brings beings into existence.

The verse expresses surrender to the Supreme Lord who is approachable as Saguna Shiva (often worshipped as the Linga). The gesture of añjali on the head signifies complete submission to Shiva’s lordship beyond ego and claims of supremacy.

Practice reverential surrender (añjali with bowed head) while repeating a Shiva-mantra such as the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating the attitude that all knowledge and power are granted by Shiva.