Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

परस्य दुर्‍निर्णयः—षट्कुलीयमुनिविवादः तथा ब्रह्मदर्शनार्थं मेरुप्रयाणम् | The Dispute of the Six-Lineage Sages on the Supreme and Their Journey to Brahmā at Meru

Devanagari script

ते ऽभिजग्मुर्विधातारं द्रष्टुं ब्रह्माणमव्ययम् । यत्रास्ते भगवान् ब्रह्मा स्तूयमानस्सुरासुरैः

Transliteration

te 'bhijagmurvidhātāraṃ draṣṭuṃ brahmāṇamavyayam | yatrāste bhagavān brahmā stūyamānassurāsuraiḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവർ വിധാതാവായ അവ്യയ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെ ദർശിക്കാനായി പോയി; അവിടെ ഭഗവാൻ ബ്രഹ്മാ ദേവന്മാരും അസുരന്മാരും സ്തുതിക്കുന്നതിനിടയിൽ ആസീനനായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभिजग्मुः: went/approached
• अभिजग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विधातारम्: the creator/ordainer
• विधातारम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/तुमुन्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive) — ‘to see’

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्माणम्)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb ‘where’)

• आस्ते: sits/dwells
• आस्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly
• भगवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्मा)

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

• स्तूयमानः: being praised
• स्तूयमानः: Karta (कर्ता/कृदन्त-कर्तृसम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present passive participle) — ‘being praised’; ‘ब्रह्मा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सुर-असुरैः: by gods and demons
• सुर-असुरैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (सुराश्च असुराश्च); करण/कर्तृ-हेतुः (agent in passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

It shows the cosmic order: even exalted beings seek guidance from the creator Brahmā, while the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā ultimately frames such authority as subordinate to the highest Lord (Pati), toward whom all knowledge and liberation finally point.

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

By portraying Brahmā as “bhagavān” yet still a figure approached within the world, the narrative prepares the reader to distinguish created powers from the supreme object of worship—Śiva as Saguna (worshipped as Liṅga) and as the transcendent Pati beyond all.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate takeaway is reverent approach (darśana) and praise (stuti); in Shaiva practice this is mirrored as daily Liṅga-darśana with mantra-japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—offered with humility before higher truth.