Shloka 40

Vyasa

शिवशिवयोर्जगत्पितृमातृत्व-प्रतिपादनं तथा मेनायाः विमोहः (Śiva–Śivā as Cosmic Father and Mother; Menā’s Delusion and the Sages’ Intervention)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा च ब्रह्मलोकस्थो विष्णुः क्षीरोदवासकृत् । हरः कैलासनिलयः सर्वाः शिवविभूतयः

Transliteration

brahmā ca brahmalokastho viṣṇuḥ kṣīrodavāsakṛt | haraḥ kailāsanilayaḥ sarvāḥ śivavibhūtayaḥ

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മൻ ബ്രഹ്മലോകത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്നു; വിഷ്ണു ക്ഷീരസാഗരത്തിൽ പാർക്കുന്നു; ഹരൻ കൈലാസത്തിൽ നിവാസി—എങ്കിലും ഇവയൊക്കെയും സത്യത്തിൽ ശിവന്റെ വിഭൂതികളാണ്।

Word by Word

ब्रह्माBrahmā

चand

ब्रह्मलोकस्थःdwelling in Brahmaloka

विष्णुःViṣṇu

क्षीरोदवासकृत्one who resides in the Ocean of Milk

हरःHara (Śiva)

कैलासनिलयःwhose abode is Kailāsa

सर्वाःall

शिवविभूतयःŚiva’s manifestations/powers

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse is a doctrinal vibhūti-statement: Brahmā’s, Viṣṇu’s, and Hara’s cosmic abodes are presented as dependent manifestations within Śiva’s lordly sovereignty, rather than independent ultimate realities.

Significance: Cultivates īśvara-bhāva: seeing all worlds and divine stations as Śiva’s vibhūti supports non-sectarian reverence while grounding ultimate refuge in Śiva.

Characters & Entities

Shiva

Brahma

Vishnu

Hara

Kailasa

FAQs

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

It teaches that even the highest cosmic stations—Brahmā’s Brahma-loka, Viṣṇu’s Kṣīroda, and Śiva’s Kailāsa—are not independent absolutes but expressions of Śiva’s vibhūti, pointing the devotee to the one supreme Lord (Pati) behind all divine functions.

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

By declaring all divine abodes as Śiva’s vibhūti, the verse supports Saguna worship: the Liṅga becomes the accessible focus through which the devotee honors the one Śiva who pervades and empowers Brahmā and Viṣṇu as well.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Śiva as the indwelling Lord of all realms while chanting the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and water to the Liṅga with the understanding that all worlds rest in His vibhūti.