Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

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

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

शिवेच्छया पराशक्तिः शिवतत्त्वैकतां गता । ततः परिस्फुरत्यादौ सर्गे तैलं तिलादिव

Transliteration

śivecchayā parāśaktiḥ śivatattvaikatāṃ gatā | tataḥ parisphuratyādau sarge tailaṃ tilādiva

Translation

ശിവന്റെ ഇച്ഛയാൽ പരാശക്തി ശിവതത്ത്വത്തോടു ഏകത്വം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു. തുടർന്ന് സൃഷ്ടിയുടെ ആരംഭത്തിൽ അവൾ പ്രകടമായി സ്പന്ദിക്കുന്നു—എള്ളുപോലെയുള്ളവയിൽ നിന്ന് എണ്ണ പുറപ്പെടുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• शिवेच्छया: by Śiva’s will
• शिवेच्छया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘Śiva’s will’), करणत्वे (instrumental: ‘by/through’)

• परा: supreme
• परा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• शिवतत्त्वैकताम्: oneness with Śiva-tattva
• शिवतत्त्वैकताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + एकता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (शिवस्य तत्त्वम्) इति तत्पुरुष-आधारः + एकता; ‘oneness with Śiva-tattva’

• गता: has attained
• गता: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used actively), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having gone/attained’

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/हेत्वर्थक-अव्यय (thereupon/from that)

• परिस्फुरति: manifests/pulsates
• परिस्फुरति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + स्फुर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘quivers/emanates/appears’

• आदौ: at the beginning
• आदौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘in the beginning’ (locative of time)

• सर्गे: in creation
• सर्गे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तैलम्: oil
• तैलम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तिलादि: sesame and the like
• तिलादि: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी? (not used); here प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण उपमानपदं, ‘sesame etc.’; समासः: ‘तिल-आदि’

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of simile: ‘like/as’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogenesis (sarga-ārambha)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parashakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that creation is not independent of Śiva: Parāśakti manifests the cosmos only after entering unity with Śiva-tattva, showing Śiva as the supreme ground (Pati) and Shakti as His inseparable power.

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

The Linga signifies Śiva-tattva—formless yet the source of all forms. Worship of the Linga (Saguna support for Nirguna truth) aligns the devotee with that Śiva-principle from which Shakti’s creative manifestation proceeds.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the inseparability of Śiva and Śakti while reciting the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating that all arising experiences are Shakti’s manifestation resting in Śiva-tattva.