Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

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

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

मायातः पुनरेवाभूदव्यक्तं त्रिगुणात्मकम् । त्रिगुणाच्च ततो व्यक्ताद्विभक्ताः स्युस्त्रयो गुणाः

Transliteration

māyātaḥ punarevābhūdavyaktaṃ triguṇātmakam | triguṇācca tato vyaktādvibhaktāḥ syustrayo guṇāḥ

Translation

De Māyā surgit de nouveau l’Inmanifesté (avyakta), constitué des trois guṇas. Et de ce principe tri-guṇique, lorsqu’il devient manifesté (vyakta), les trois guṇas—sattva, rajas et tamas—se trouvent distingués.

Word by Word

• मायातः: from Māyā
• मायातः: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्ति/again

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अभूत्: arose/came to be
• अभूत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अव्यक्तम्: the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (the unmanifest)

• त्रिगुणात्मकम्: consisting of three guṇas
• त्रिगुणात्मकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अव्यक्तम्)

• त्रिगुणात्: from the tri-guṇa (state)
• त्रिगुणात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three-guṇa aggregate)

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

• ततः: therefrom
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/therefrom

• व्यक्तात्: from the manifest
• व्यक्तात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विभक्ताः: divided/separated
• विभक्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भज् (धातु) → विभक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गुणाः)

• स्युः: would be/are (as a result)
• स्युः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of गुणाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• गुणाः: qualities/guṇas
• गुणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of स्युः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: prakṛti/avyakta emergence and guṇa-differentiation

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya
• Sattva
• Rajas
• Tamas

FAQs

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

It explains that worldly experience unfolds through Māyā as the unmanifest tri-guṇic seed (avyakta), which becomes the manifest field (vyakta) where sattva, rajas, and tamas operate distinctly—implying liberation comes by knowing Pati (Śiva) as beyond Māyā and the guṇas.

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

Linga-worship centers the mind on Śiva as the transcendent Lord who is not limited by the guṇas; devotion to Saguna Śiva purifies the guṇas (especially tamas and rajas), preparing the seeker to realize Śiva beyond Māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), using bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to steady the mind—cultivating sattva and ultimately detaching from all three guṇas through Śiva-bhakti and discernment.