Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

आविर्भावतिरोभावहेतुरेकः स्वराडजः । तस्मात्प्रधानपुरुषव्यक्तकालस्वरूपवान्

Transliteration

āvirbhāvatirobhāvaheturekaḥ svarāḍajaḥ | tasmātpradhānapuruṣavyaktakālasvarūpavān

Translation

L’Unique—souverain par Lui-même et non-né—est l’unique cause de la manifestation et de la résorption. De Lui procèdent les formes nommées Pradhāna (Nature primordiale), Puruṣa (principe conscient), Vyakta (univers manifesté) et Kāla (Temps).

Word by Word

• āvirbhāva-tirobhāva-hetuḥ: the cause of manifestation and concealment
• āvirbhāva-tirobhāva-hetuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvirbhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + tirobhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थे: ‘आविर्भावस्य तिरोभावस्य च हेतु:’

• ekaḥ: one; single
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (हेतु:)

• svarāṭ: self-ruling; independent
• svarāṭ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarāṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अज:)

• ajaḥ: the unborn (one)
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tasmāt: from him/therefore
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• pradhāna-puruṣa-vyakta-kāla-svarūpavān: having the nature of Pradhāna, Puruṣa, the manifest, and Time
• pradhāna-puruṣa-vyakta-kāla-svarūpavān: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa-vat (वत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘यस्य प्रधान-पुरुष-व्यक्त-काल-स्वरूपं अस्ति सः’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the independent, unborn Supreme (Pati) who alone governs both revelation (appearance) and concealment (withdrawal), showing that all cosmic principles function by His sovereignty.

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

The Linga signifies the One beyond birth who yet becomes the ground of all manifest categories; worship of the Linga trains the mind to see every form—Pradhana, world, and time—as resting in Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner ruler of time and change while reciting the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating that appearances and dissolutions arise and subside in Him.