Shloka 12

सृष्टिवर्णनम्

Cosmogony and the Roles of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

हिरण्यवर्णमभवत्तदंडमुदकेशयम् । तत्र जज्ञे स्वयं ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूरिति विश्रुतः

Transliteration

hiraṇyavarṇamabhavattadaṃḍamudakeśayam | tatra jajñe svayaṃ brahmā svayaṃbhūriti viśrutaḥ

Translation

その宇宙の卵は黄金の色となり、水の上に安住した。その内に、梵天は自らより生まれ出でた。ゆえに「スヴァヤンブー（自生者）」として名高い。

Word by Word

• हिरण्य-वर्णम्: golden-colored
• हिरण्य-वर्णम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयवत्/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हिरण्यस्य वर्णः) — ‘golden-colored’

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अण्डम्: egg (cosmic egg)
• अण्डम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उदक-शयम्: resting in water
• उदक-शयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + शय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः — ‘lying in water’ (उदके शयम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-अव्यय — ‘there’

• जज्ञे: was born/arose
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-adverb — ‘by oneself’

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• स्वयं-भूः: the self-born
• स्वयं-भूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + भू (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — ‘self-born’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणार्थक

• विश्रुतः: well-known
• विश्रुतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-श्रु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘well-known/famed’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmic account within the Umāsaṃhitā to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames creation as an ordered emergence within the cosmic principle governed by Pati (Śiva): even Brahmā, the creator-function, arises within the cosmic egg on the primal waters, indicating that creative power is not independent but situated within the higher Shaiva reality.

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

By portraying Brahmā as ‘self-born’ within the manifested cosmos, the verse supports the Shaiva understanding that Saguna manifestations and cosmic functions arise within Shiva’s domain; Linga-worship centers the devotee on the transcendent source (Pati) beyond the created offices.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the source of creation as resting in the divine ground: meditate on Śiva as Pati beyond all emergence, and support the contemplation with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to steady the mind toward the origin beyond the cosmic process.