Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

शिवतत्त्वे परापरभावविचारः

Inquiry into Śiva’s Principle and the Parā–Aparā Paradox

Devanagari script

कण्ठात्कालांगनां सृष्ट्वा दारको ऽपि निपातितः । कौशिकीं जनयित्वा तु गौर्यास्त्वक्कोशगोचराम्

Transliteration

kaṇṭhātkālāṃganāṃ sṛṣṭvā dārako 'pi nipātitaḥ | kauśikīṃ janayitvā tu gauryāstvakkośagocarām

Translation

Dari tenggorokannya Ia memancarkan gadis berwarna gelap (Kālī), dan Dāraka sang anak pun dijatuhkan. Lalu Ia menampakkan Kauśikī yang muncul dari selubung kulit Gaurī.

Word by Word

• कण्ठात्: from (his) throat/neck
• कण्ठात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन (Ablative)

• काल-अङ्गनाम्: the woman of Death (Kālī-like)
• काल-अङ्गनाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kāla-aṅganā = woman of Kāla/Death); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having created/emitted’

• दारकः: Dāraka
• दारकः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• निपातितः: was struck down
• निपातितः: कर्ता (Karta; grammatical subject of passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + नि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कौशिकीम्: Kauśikī (a goddess)
• कौशिकीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• जनयित्वा: having generated
• जनयित्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) (णिच् causative: जनय-)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातोः क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having caused to be born/produced’

• तु: but, then
• तु: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/contrastive particle)

• गौर्याः: of Gaurī
• गौर्याः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• त्वक्-कोश-गोचराम्: confined to the skin-sheath
• त्वक्-कोश-गोचराम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक) + कोश (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (tvak-kośa-gocarā = moving/limited to the skin-sheath); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘कौशिकीम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Gauri
• Kali
• Kaushiki
• Daraka

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s inseparable power (Śakti) manifesting in specific forms to restore dharma—teaching that divine grace can appear as fierce (Kālī) or luminous (Kauśikī) to remove obstacles and liberate beings from fear and bondage.

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

It supports Saguna worship by showing how the One Reality operates through accessible forms and actions: Shiva is worshipped in the Liṅga as transcendent Pati, while His Śakti manifests dynamically to accomplish protection and the destruction of adharma—both are complementary in Shaiva devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to combine Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with devotion to Śakti as protective power—mentally offering fear and negativity into the inner fire, and maintaining purity through simple disciplines like bhasma remembrance or mantra-focused meditation.