Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

अग्नीषोमात्मकविश्ववर्णनम् / The Universe as Agni–Soma

Fire and Nectar

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । देवीं समादधानेन देवेनेदं किमीरितम् । अग्निषोमात्मकं विश्वं वागर्थात्मकमित्यपि

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | devīṃ samādadhānena devenedaṃ kimīritam | agniṣomātmakaṃ viśvaṃ vāgarthātmakamityapi

Translation

Para resi berkata: “Ketika Sang Dewa menegakkan Dewi, apakah yang beliau nyatakan—bahwa seluruh alam semesta bersifat Agni dan Soma, serta juga berupa wicara dan makna?”

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समादधानेन: by (the one) placing/establishing (i.e., by the establisher)
• समादधानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) + समादधान (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग रूप (सन्दर्भे ‘देवेन’ इति सह)

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• ईरितम्: was stated/uttered
• ईरितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) + ईरित (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अग्निषोमात्मकम्: having the nature of Agni and Soma
• अग्निषोमात्मकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अग्नि-सोमयोः आत्मकः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विश्वम्’ इति विशेषण

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वागर्थात्मकम्: having the nature of speech and meaning
• वागर्थात्मकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वाचः अर्थस्य च आत्मकः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विश्वम्’ इति विशेषण

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरणचिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

Speaker

The sages (ṛṣis), questioning the narrator (within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse, typically Sūta addressing the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya).

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The inquiry frames a contemplative teaching: seeing the cosmos as paired principles (Agni–Soma; Vāk–Artha) supports non-fragmented worship and philosophical reflection in Śaiva temples and study settings.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Devi

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as structured by complementary principles—Agni and Soma, and also speech and meaning—pointing to an ordered, intelligible creation upheld by divine power, which Shaiva Siddhanta reads as ultimately dependent on Pati (the Lord) and His Shakti.

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

By asking what the Lord proclaimed while establishing the Goddess, the verse situates Saguna worship in cosmic theology: Shiva with Shakti is the ground of all manifested pairs, and Linga-worship honors that transcendent Pati who becomes immanent through Shakti in the universe.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative worship of Shiva-Shakti as the unity behind all dualities; one may meditate on the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while offering water and bilva to the Linga, internally resolving opposites (heat/coolness, word/meaning) into a single awareness.