Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

अहमेव परं ज्योतिः परमात्मा त्वहं विभुः । अद्य दृष्टं श्रुतं सर्वं जगत्यस्मिंश्चराचरम्

Transliteration

ahameva paraṃ jyotiḥ paramātmā tvahaṃ vibhuḥ | adya dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ sarvaṃ jagatyasmiṃścarācaram

Translation

मीच परम ज्योती आहे; मीच सर्वव्यापी परमात्मा, प्रभु शिव आहे. आज जे काही पाहिले-ऐकले—हे सर्व चराचर जगत्—माझ्यातच प्रकट झाले आहे.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थक; एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ (emphasis/only)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.); विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); विधेय (predicate nominative)

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); कर्मधारय-समास (परमः आत्मा)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Sambodhyam/Addressed (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्/त्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), मध्यमपुरुषार्थक; एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• अहम्: I (am)
• अहम्: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.); ‘त्वम् अहम्’ इति अभेदवाक्ये विधेयत्वेन

• विभुः: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative); विधेय (predicate)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण-कालय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘seen’

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘heard’

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समस्तवाचक (everything)

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्/अस्मद्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘अस्मिन्’ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक, एकवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)

• चराचरम्: the moving and the unmoving (all beings)
• चराचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; द्वन्द्व-समास (चरं च अचरं च)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the Supreme Pati revealing His transcendence during the creation discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: sṛṣṭi-prakriyā (revelation of the universe as contained in Śiva)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse declares Shiva as Parama-jyoti (Supreme Light) and Paramatma, teaching that all experience—seen and heard—and the whole cosmos (moving and unmoving) is encompassed by the Lord; liberation comes through recognizing Pati as the inner and transcendent reality.

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

The Linga is worshipped as the visible sign of the formless Supreme Light; by honoring Saguna Shiva (name, form, mantra), the devotee is led to the realization expressed here—Shiva as the all-pervading Paramatma beyond all created distinctions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as jyoti within the heart while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); support it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of the all-pervading Vibhu and the goal of inner realization.