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Shloka 3

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

शिवतत्त्वं मया नैव विष्णुनापि यथार्थतः । ज्ञातश्च परमं रूपमद्भुतं च परेण न

śivatattvaṃ mayā naiva viṣṇunāpi yathārthataḥ | jñātaśca paramaṃ rūpamadbhutaṃ ca pareṇa na

“Hakikat Śiva (tattva) tidak pernah diketahui dengan sebenar-benarnya—bukan olehku, bahkan bukan juga oleh Viṣṇu. Dan rupa tertinggi yang menakjubkan itu pun tidak difahami sepenuhnya oleh mana-mana makhluk lain.”

śiva-tattvamthe principle/reality of Śiva
śiva-tattvam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśiva (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास: 'śivasya tattvam'
mayāby me
mayā:
Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्तृ-करण)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInstrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)
evaeven; indeed
eva:
Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), restrictive/emphatic particle (निपात)
viṣṇunāby Viṣṇu
viṣṇunā:
Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्तृ-करण)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
apialso; even
api:
Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात): 'also/even'
yathārthataḥtruly; as it really is
yathārthataḥ:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) formed with -tas (तसिल्): 'in accordance with reality/truly'
jñātaḥknown
jñātaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया) / Predicate (विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively: 'known'
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)
paramamsupreme
paramam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with rūpam
rūpamform
rūpam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootrūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
adbhutamwonderful
adbhutam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootadbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with rūpam
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)
pareṇaby another (one)
pareṇa:
Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्तृ-करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); here: 'by another/superior one'
nanot
na:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

Brahmā

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

S
Shiva
V
Vishnu
B
Brahma

FAQs

It affirms Śiva-tattva as transcendent and limitless: even cosmic authorities like Brahmā and Viṣṇu cannot grasp Him fully, indicating that liberation requires Śiva’s grace and a devotional, inward realization rather than mere intellectual reach.

Because the supreme reality is beyond complete conceptualization, the Purāṇa supports approaching Śiva through accessible manifestations—especially the Śiva-liṅga—as a sacred focus where the Nirguṇa truth is honored through a Saguna symbol and rite.

A practical takeaway is mantra-japa with the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) combined with liṅga-pūjā and contemplative humility, seeking direct experience and Śiva’s anugraha (grace) rather than claiming total conceptual mastery.