Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 60

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

विश्वं सिसृक्षमाणा वै यत्र विश्वसृजः पुरा । सत्रमारेभिरे दिव्यं ब्रह्मज्ञा गार्हपत्यगाः

Transliteration

viśvaṃ sisṛkṣamāṇā vai yatra viśvasṛjaḥ purā | satramārebhire divyaṃ brahmajñā gārhapatyagāḥ

Translation

അവിടെ പുരാതനകാലത്ത് വിശ്വസൃഷ്ടി ചെയ്യുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച വിശ്വസ്രഷ്ടാക്കളായ പ്രജാപതികൾ ദിവ്യ സത്രയജ്ഞം ആരംഭിച്ചു; ബ്രഹ്മജ്ഞരായ ഋഷികൾ ഗാർഹപത്യാഗ്നിയിൽ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിതരായി സൃഷ്ടികാര്യത്തിനായി അതിനെ പ്രവർത്തിപ്പിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd: द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sisṛkṣamāṇāḥ: wishing to create
• sisṛkṣamāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Present desiderative participle (सन्नन्त/इच्छार्थक-धातु: सिसृक्ष-), Śatṛ/Śānac-type participle (शानच्), Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st: प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Vākyālaṅkāra (वाक्यालङ्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक-अव्यय)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• viśva-sṛjaḥ: the creators of the universe
• viśva-sṛjaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛj (धातु) → sṛj (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: सृज्/स्रष्टृभाव)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st: प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'creators of the universe'

• purā: formerly; in ancient times
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• satram: a sacrificial session (satra)
• satram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd: द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārebhire: they began; they undertook
• ārebhire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rabh (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); with preverb ā-

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd: द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying satram

• brahma-jñāḥ: knowers of Brahman (Vedic experts)
• brahma-jñāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st: प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'knowers of Brahman/Veda'

• gārhapatya-gāḥ: those connected with the gārhapatya fire
• gārhapatya-gāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gārhapatya (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st: प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'those who have/maintain the gārhapatya (fire)'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse frames a primordial satra undertaken by viśvasṛj (cosmic progenitors) to initiate creation; it is a cosmological prologue rather than a specific liṅga-sthala origin.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic commencement: progenitors initiate a satra as a ritualized prelude to sṛṣṭi.

Characters & Entities

• Prajapatis
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It presents creation as beginning with a sacred, disciplined rite performed by Brahman-knowing sages—implying that the cosmos arises within sacred order (ṛta) and is ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality, which Shaiva Siddhanta understands as Pati (Shiva) as the final source and governor of manifestation.

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

The verse frames yajna as a divine act oriented to the highest principle; in Shaiva practice, this culminates in recognizing Shiva as the inner Lord of all rites. Linga worship similarly externalizes and concentrates that cosmic principle into an accessible saguna focus, making the ‘creation-rite’ an act of devotion and surrender to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests sustained, disciplined worship (like a satra) supported by purity and steadiness—practically expressed in daily Shiva-puja, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and inward ‘yajna’ as meditation where the mind is offered into awareness of Shiva as the indwelling Lord.