Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause

Devanagari script

यस्सर्वस्मात्परो नित्यो निष्कलः परमेश्वरः । स एव च तदाधारस्तदात्मा तदधिष्ठितः

Transliteration

yassarvasmātparo nityo niṣkalaḥ parameśvaraḥ | sa eva ca tadādhārastadātmā tadadhiṣṭhitaḥ

Translation

സകലത്തിലും പരനായ, നിത്യനായ, നിഷ്കലനായ പരമേശ്വരൻ—അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് അതിന്റെ ആധാരം, അതിന്റെ ആത്മസ്വരൂപം, എല്ലാം സ്ഥാപിതമായിരിക്കുന്ന അധിഷ്ഠാനവും.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• सर्वस्मात्: from all (everything)
• सर्वस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• परः: higher/supreme
• परः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नित्यः: eternal
• नित्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निष्कलः: partless/without divisions
• निष्कलः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘परमः ईश्वरः’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/alone
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदाधारः: its support
• तदाधारः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘तस्य आधारः’)

• तदात्मा: its very self
• तदात्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘तस्य आत्मा’)

• तदधिष्ठितः: presiding over it / established upon it
• तदधिष्ठितः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अधिष्ठित (अधि+स्था-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘तद्-अधिष्ठितः’ = by/with that presided over); क्त-कृदन्त

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Parameśvara—transcendent (beyond all), eternal, and niṣkala—yet also the immanent ground: the universe depends on Him, is pervaded by Him, and remains established in Him. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Pati alone is independent and the ultimate refuge for liberation.

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

The verse points to niṣkala (formless) Shiva as the highest truth, while also affirming His immanence—support and inner essence of all. Linga worship is a primary Shaiva means to contemplate this: the Linga signifies the formless Pati while allowing saguna devotion and meditation to mature toward realization of the niṣkala reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both transcendent and indwelling by japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and internal contemplation that all experiences rest in Him (ādhāra) and are pervaded by Him (ātmā), supporting steady bhakti and knowledge-oriented yoga.