Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

शिवशक्त्यैक्य-तत्त्वविचारः / Inquiry into the Unity of Śiva and Śakti

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

अथानंतसमावेशान्माया कालमवासृजत् । नियतिञ्च कलां विद्यां कलातोरागपूरुषौ

Transliteration

athānaṃtasamāveśānmāyā kālamavāsṛjat | niyatiñca kalāṃ vidyāṃ kalātorāgapūruṣau

Translation

Puis Māyā, en s’immergeant dans l’Infini (Ananta), projeta le Temps (kāla), ainsi que Niyati (ordre/limitation cosmique), Kalā (pouvoir d’agir limité) et Vidyā (connaissance limitée) ; et de Kalā naquirent Rāga (attachement/désir) et Puruṣa (le soi individuel lié).

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• अनन्त-समावेशात्: from the infinite absorption/immersion
• अनन्त-समावेशात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source-Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + समावेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादान (from/owing to)

• माया: Māyā
• माया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवासृजत्: sent forth/created
• अवासृजत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नियतिम्: destiny/necessity (niyati)
• नियतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• कलाम्: kalā (power/part)
• कलाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्याम्: knowledge (vidyā)
• विद्याम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कलातौ: the two kalās (two aspects)
• कलातौ: Karma (कर्म/Object, dual item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्विवचन-रूप (Dual), प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सप्तमी-सम्भव; अत्र सूची-समुच्चयार्थे द्वितीया-द्विवचन (as two items, objects)

• राग: attachment
• राग: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग/compound member)

• पूरुषौ: the two Puruṣas (persons/principles)
• पूरुषौ: Karma (कर्म/Object, as listed entities)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: tattva-udbhava (emanation of kañcukas and puruṣa from māyā)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines how bondage arises: Māyā projects limiting principles—time, order, limited agency and knowledge—leading to attachment and the experience of oneself as a bound puruṣa. Liberation is implied as Shiva’s grace that transcends these limitations.

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

Worship of the Linga (Saguna Shiva as the accessible form of the Supreme) is a practical means to overcome Māyā’s limitations; devotion and ritual focus the mind beyond kāla and rāga toward Pati (Shiva), the Lord of Māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with contemplative awareness that time, craving, and limited knowing are Māyā’s constraints—supported by Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and detachment.