Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा स्रष्टा हरिः पाता संहर्ता च महेश्वरः । तस्य सर्गस्य नान्योऽस्ति काले काले तथा गते

Transliteration

brahmā sraṣṭā hariḥ pātā saṃhartā ca maheśvaraḥ | tasya sargasya nānyo'sti kāle kāle tathā gate

Translation

ブラフマーは創造者、ハリ（ヴィシュヌ）は守護者、そしてマヘーシュヴァラ（シヴァ）は収攝し溶解する者である。この顕現の循環が時を隔てて繰り返されるとき、究竟の働き手は他にない。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; रूपम् ‘ब्रह्मा’ (ब्रह्मन्-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन)

• स्रष्टा: creator
• स्रष्टा: विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृज् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पाता: protector
• पाता: विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक-नाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संहर्ता: destroyer; reabsorber
• संहर्ता: विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + हृ (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक-नाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: महान् ईश्वरः, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्य: of that; of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• सर्गस्य: of the creation
• सर्गस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्ति: exists; is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• काले: in time; at a time
• काले: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• काले: at (each) time
• काले: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• तथा: thus; in that manner
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गते: when (the times) have passed; having elapsed
• गते: अधिकरण (Temporal locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-द्विवचन (Locative dual) — ‘(तयोः) काले काले ... गते’ = when the two times have passed; प्रयोगः काल-निर्देशे

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, inferred from Purana dialogue convention in Uma Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cyclic time (kāla-kāla) governing recurring sṛṣṭi-sthiti-saṃhāra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Maheshvara
• Hari

FAQs

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

It summarizes the cosmic functions—creation, preservation, and dissolution—while pointing to the recurring nature of time (kāla) and the primacy of Maheśvara as the decisive power in the cycle, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on Pati (Śiva) as the supreme Lord.

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

By naming Maheśvara as the agent of saṃhāra within the cosmic order, it supports Saguna worship of Śiva—especially as the Liṅga, the timeless symbol of Pati—through which devotees contemplate the Lord beyond repeating cycles of time.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Mahākāla beyond cyclical time, and support that contemplation with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); optionally wear rudrākṣa and apply tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as Shaiva markers of surrender to Pati.