Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

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

Devanagari script

सिसृक्षया पुराव्यक्ताच्छिवः स्थाणुर्महेश्वरः । सत्कार्यकारणोपेतस्स्वयमाविरभूत्प्रभुः

Transliteration

sisṛkṣayā purāvyaktācchivaḥ sthāṇurmaheśvaraḥ | satkāryakāraṇopetassvayamāvirabhūtprabhuḥ

Translation

Désirant faire naître la création, Śiva—le Seigneur immuable, Maheśvara—se manifesta de Lui-même depuis l’Inmanifesté primordial, en Maître souverain pourvu de la réalité de la cause et de l’effet.

Word by Word

• सिसृक्षया: with the desire to create
• सिसृक्षया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिसृक्षा (प्रातिपदिक; इच्छार्थ-भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे ‘सृष्टुम् इच्छया’

• पुरा: formerly; at first
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अव्यक्तात्: from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्थाणुः: the Immovable One (Sthāṇu)
• स्थाणुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिवस्य विशेषण-नाम

• महेश्वरः: the Great Lord
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् ईश्वरः)

• सत्-कार्य-कारण-उपेतः: endowed with real effect and cause
• सत्-कार्य-कारण-उपेतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त; √इ ‘ए’ + उपसर्ग उप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘सत्’ (सद्भूत) ‘कार्यकारण’ (कार्यं च कारणं च) इत्यर्थे समाहार/द्वन्द्व-भावः अन्तर्गतः; उपेतः = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘युक्तः/समन्वितः’

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (emphatic adverb)

• आविरभूत्: appeared; manifested
• आविरभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आविर्-भू (धातु; √भू)
• Form: लङ् (भूतकाल/इम्परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः ‘आविर्’ (प्रादुर्भावे)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic emergence: manifestation from the avyakta at the beginning of creation-cycle.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that creation begins when the Supreme Lord Śiva freely manifests from the Unmanifest; He is not compelled by anything, but remains the sovereign Pati who initiates manifestation while transcending it.

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

By stating that Śiva ‘manifested of His own accord,’ the verse supports Saguna worship (such as the Śiva-liṅga) as the Lord’s self-revealed form for devotees, while affirming His prior nirguna, unmanifest transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as both transcendent (avyakta) and immanent (manifest), and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with the intention of recognizing Him as the inner Lord who governs cause and effect.