Shloka 37

Brahmā–Viṣṇu-Pūjā: Upacāra-Vistāra and Īśvara’s Prasāda

Offerings in Shiva Worship and the Lord’s Grace

Devanagari script

बृहत्त्वाद्बृंहणत्वाच्च ब्रह्माहं ब्रह्मकेशवौ । समत्वाद्व्यापकत्वाच्च तथैवात्माहमर्भकौ

Transliteration

bṛhattvādbṛṃhaṇatvācca brahmāhaṃ brahmakeśavau | samatvādvyāpakatvācca tathaivātmāhamarbhakau

Translation

ഞാൻ മഹാവിരാടൻ; എല്ലാറ്റിനെയും വികസിപ്പിച്ചു വർദ്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്നവൻ; അതുകൊണ്ട് ‘ബ്രഹ്മാ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. എന്റെ ശക്തിയിലേ ഞാൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവും കേശവനും (വിഷ്ണുവും) ആകുന്നു. എല്ലാവരോടും സമനും സർവ്വവ്യാപിയും ആയതിനാൽ ‘ആത്മാവ്’ എന്നും വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു—ഹേ ബാലകാ।

Word by Word

• बृहत्त्वात्: because of greatness
• बृहत्त्वात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक; बृहत्+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-भाववाचक (त्व)

• बृंहणत्वात्: because of the power of expansion/nourishing
• बृंहणत्वात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृंहणत्व (प्रातिपदिक; बृंहण+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-भाववाचक (त्व)

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

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मकेशवौ: Brahmā and Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• ब्रह्मकेशवौ: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + केशव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन

• समत्वात्: because of equality/evenness
• समत्वात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समत्व (प्रातिपदिक; सम+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-भाववाचक (त्व)

• व्यापकत्वात्: because of pervasiveness
• व्यापकत्वात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यापकत्व (प्रातिपदिक; व्यापक+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-भाववाचक (त्व)

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

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-वाचक (adverb of manner)

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

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• अर्भकौ: two children/young ones
• अर्भकौ: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the supreme reality who is both transcendent and immanent: the Vast that causes all growth, the inner Self of all beings, and the source in whom the functions named Brahmā and Viṣṇu operate—guiding the seeker toward surrender to Pati (Shiva) for liberation.

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

By stating that the all-pervading Atman is Shiva, the verse supports Linga worship as a concrete Saguna symbol through which devotees approach the Nirguna, all-pervading Shiva who is beyond names yet present in all names and cosmic functions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the all-pervading Self while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and cultivate samatva (equanimity) as a devotional discipline—seeing Shiva present in all beings.