Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

परस्य दुर्‍निर्णयः—षट्कुलीयमुनिविवादः तथा ब्रह्मदर्शनार्थं मेरुप्रयाणम् | The Dispute of the Six-Lineage Sages on the Supreme and Their Journey to Brahmā at Meru

Devanagari script

तत्र ब्रह्मवनं नाम नानामृगसमाकुलम् । दशयोजनविस्तीर्णं शतयोजनमायतम्

Transliteration

tatra brahmavanaṃ nāma nānāmṛgasamākulam | daśayojanavistīrṇaṃ śatayojanamāyatam

Translation

Di sana terletak sebuah rimba bernama Brahmavana, dipenuhi pelbagai jenis binatang liar. Luasnya sepuluh yojana dan panjangnya seratus yojana.

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (देशवाचक)

• brahma-vanam: the forest called Brahmavana
• brahma-vanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nāma: by name/called
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prayoga; particle indicating naming (नाम-शब्दः)

• nānā-mṛga-samākulam: filled with various animals
• nānā-mṛga-samākulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + samākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; विशेषणम् of ‘brahma-vanam’

• daśa-yojana-vistīrṇam: ten-yojanas wide
• daśa-yojana-vistīrṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Measure-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + vistīrṇa (कृदन्त/क्त, √stṛ)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; परिमाणविशेषणम् of ‘brahma-vanam’

• śata-yojanam: a hundred yojanas
• śata-yojanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Measure-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; परिमाण-प्रयोगः (extent) with implied ‘māyatam’

• āyatam: long/extended
• āyatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyata (कृदन्त/क्त, √yam with ā-)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; विशेषणम् of ‘brahma-vanam’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Brahmavana

FAQs

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

By portraying Brahmavana as vast and alive with creatures, the text frames a sacred landscape where worldly diversity exists within a dharmic, consecrated space—supporting inner stillness and readiness for Shaiva realization of Pati (Shiva) beyond the bonds (pāśa).

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

Holy forests in the Shiva Purana often serve as settings for Linga worship and disciplined sādhana; the verse prepares the scene for Saguna Shiva devotion performed in a sanctified environment, which gradually leads the devotee toward understanding Shiva’s higher, transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies vana-sādhana—quiet japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditation with restraint of the senses, and simple Shaiva observances such as applying bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and maintaining purity while dwelling in or contemplating a sacred place.