Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 73

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

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

Devanagari script

तन्निवर्तयितुं युष्मद्दर्पमोहौ मयैव तु । एवं निवारितावद्यलिंगाविर्भावलीलया

Transliteration

tannivartayituṃ yuṣmaddarpamohau mayaiva tu | evaṃ nivāritāvadyaliṃgāvirbhāvalīlayā

Translation

Afin de mettre un terme à votre orgueil et à votre égarement, Moi seul ai agi ; ainsi, aujourd’hui, vous avez été arrêtés et contenus par Ma manifestation joueuse du Liṅga.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निवर्तयितुम्: to restrain/stop
• निवर्तयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थक; ‘to stop/turn back’

• युष्मत्: of you (pl.)
• युष्मत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; (समासे पूर्वपद)

• दर्पमोहौ: pride and delusion
• दर्पमोहौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प-मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (दर्पः च मोहः च)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/कर्ता-हेतौ), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/contrastive particle)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक/adverb of manner)

• निवारित: restrained
• निवारित: Karta (कर्ता/वर्ण्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, द्विवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; (विशेषणम्)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक/adverb of time)

• लिङ्गाविर्भावलीलया: by the sportive manifestation of the liṅga
• लिङ्गाविर्भावलीलया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग-अविर्भाव-लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य अविर्भावः; तस्य लीला)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Echoes the Liṅgodbhava episode: Śiva manifests as an infinite Liṅga to humble Brahmā and Viṣṇu, curbing their darpa (pride) and moha (delusion) and re-establishing their functional roles under the Lord.

Significance: Contemplation of the anādi-ananta Liṅga dissolves ahaṅkāra and grants right-knowledge (śiva-jñāna) leading toward grace (anugraha).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Liṅga-āvirbhāva (theophany) to arrest deva-level pride; a didactic cosmic intervention rather than pralaya.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, as Pati (the Supreme Lord), dissolves darpa (ego) and moha (ignorance) through His grace; the Liṅga-manifestation is a revelatory līlā meant to humble the limited self and turn it toward true knowledge and liberation.

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

The verse frames the Liṅga as Śiva’s purposeful, compassionate appearance in a worshipable form: Saguna access that corrects arrogance and confusion, while pointing beyond form to the Lord’s transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is humble Liṅga-upāsanā—daily worship with the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water and bilva with surrender—specifically as a remedy for ego and delusion.