Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

शिवशक्त्यैक्य-तत्त्वविचारः / Inquiry into the Unity of Śiva and Śakti

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

सैका परा च चिद्रूपा शक्तिः प्रसवधर्मिणी । विभज्य बहुधा विश्वं विदधाति शिवेच्छया

Transliteration

saikā parā ca cidrūpā śaktiḥ prasavadharmiṇī | vibhajya bahudhā viśvaṃ vidadhāti śivecchayā

Translation

അവൾ ഏകയും പരമയും ചിത്‌സ്വരൂപിണിയുമായ പ്രസവധർമിണി ശക്തിയാണ്. സ്വയം പല രൂപങ്ങളായി വിഭജിച്ച് ശിവേച്ഛാനുസരിച്ച് വിശ്വത്തെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (power)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• एकā: one, single
• एकā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• परā: supreme
• परā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• चित्-रूपā: of the nature of consciousness
• चित्-रूपā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘चितः रूपम्’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शक्तिः: Power (Śakti)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रसव-धर्मिणी: having the nature of producing/bringing forth
• प्रसव-धर्मिणी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसव (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘प्रसवस्य धर्मः यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विभज्य: having divided
• विभज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-भज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having divided’

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विदधाति: arranges, ordains, creates
• विदधाति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शिव-इच्छया: by Śiva’s will
• शिव-इच्छया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘शिवस्य इच्छा’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic manifestation (sṛṣṭi) through Śiva-icchā

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that the cosmos is not accidental: the one supreme Chit-Śakti manifests multiplicity, yet remains rooted in consciousness and acts in harmony with Śiva’s sovereign will—pointing the devotee toward seeing all as Śiva-Śakti and seeking liberation through His grace.

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

Liṅga worship honors Śiva as the transcendent Pati, while also acknowledging His manifesting power as Śakti; this verse frames the Saguna world as Śiva’s willed expression through Śakti, making ritual worship a way to reorient the mind from multiplicity to the one source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva-icchā (Śiva’s will) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and meditate that all forms arise from one conscious Śakti—supporting inner detachment and devotion (bhakti) leading toward moksha.