Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

सो ऽब्रवीद्भगवान्रुद्रो ह्यहमेकः पुरातनः । आसं प्रथममेवाहं वर्तामि १ च सुरोत्तमाः

Transliteration

so 'bravīdbhagavānrudro hyahamekaḥ purātanaḥ | āsaṃ prathamamevāhaṃ vartāmi 1 ca surottamāḥ

Translation

Alors Bhagavān Rudra déclara : «En vérité, Moi seul suis l’Ancien. J’existai le premier de tous; et Je demeure encore, toujours le même, ô meilleurs des dieux.»

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Visheshana (विशेषण/appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘rudraḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/उपाधि

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of ‘abravīt’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, प्रथमा एकवचन

• ekaḥ: one, alone
• ekaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘aham’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• purātanaḥ: ancient, primeval
• purātanaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘aham’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• āsam: I was
• āsam: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: ‘first/at first’)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle ‘only/indeed’)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, प्रथमा एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग emphasis)

• vartāmi: I exist / remain
• vartāmi: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• sura-uttamāḥ: O best of gods
• sura-uttamāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (surāṇām uttamāḥ) बहुवचन-सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (vocative sense)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: assertion of primordiality: Śiva prior to cosmic sequence

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse asserts Rudra as the timeless Pati (Supreme Lord)—the first, singular, and ever-abiding reality—supporting a Shaiva Siddhanta reading where Shiva alone is eternally free and the ultimate refuge for liberation.

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

By declaring his eternal, undiminishing existence, Rudra is established as the one reality that the Linga signifies—an accessible Saguna emblem pointing to the Nirguna, beginningless Lord who remains present in all times.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-smaraṇa (remembrance) through japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), contemplating Shiva as the one eternal presence beyond change.