Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

यतस्ततो महादेवो जातिव्यक्तिवपुः स्मृतः । प्रधानपुरुषव्यक्तकालात्मा कथ्यते शिवः

Transliteration

yatastato mahādevo jātivyaktivapuḥ smṛtaḥ | pradhānapuruṣavyaktakālātmā kathyate śivaḥ

Translation

ゆえに、マハーデーヴァは普遍と個別とから成る身を具えるものとして憶念される。シヴァは、プラダーナ（根本自然）、プルシャ（意識原理）、顕現した宇宙、そして時（カーラ）の真我であると説かれる。

Word by Word

• यतः: because/whence
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal adverb: ‘because/whence’)

• ततः: therefore/from that
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मादर्थक (consequential adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• जातिव्यक्तिवपुः: one whose form is (as) genus and individual
• जातिव्यक्तिवपुः: Karma/Predicate (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति + व्यक्ति + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; ‘वपुस्’ = शरीर/स्वरूप (form)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/considered
• स्मृतः: Kriyā/Predicate (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• प्रधानपुरुषव्यक्तकालात्मा: (as) pradhāna, puruṣa, the manifest, time, and self
• प्रधानपुरुषव्यक्तकालात्मा: Karma/Predicate (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान + पुरुष + व्यक्त + काल + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-समास: ‘whose nature involves pradhāna, puruṣa, manifest (vyakta), time, and self’

• कथ्यते: is said/called
• कथ्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-level cosmogenesis implied (Pradhāna–Puruṣa–Vyakta–Kāla schema)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahadeva

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva (Pati) as the indwelling reality behind both universal principles and individual beings—Nature (Pradhana), consciousness (Purusha), the manifest world, and even Time—showing that liberation comes by recognizing Shiva as the supreme inner Self beyond all categories.

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

Though Shiva is taught here as the inner essence of cosmic principles (a transcendent view), Linga worship gives a Saguna support for meditation, allowing the devotee to contemplate the one Shiva who pervades Pradhana, Purusha, the manifest universe, and Time.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the Ātman within all states—time, world, and self—while repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; this aligns devotion (bhakti) with inner inquiry toward moksha.