Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

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

Para–Apara Ontology

Devanagari script

शक्तिशक्तिमदुत्थं तु शाक्तं शैवमिदं जगत् । यथा न जायते पुत्रः पितरं मातरं विना

Transliteration

śaktiśaktimadutthaṃ tu śāktaṃ śaivamidaṃ jagat | yathā na jāyate putraḥ pitaraṃ mātaraṃ vinā

Translation

Alam semesta ini, yang lahir daripada Śakti dan Pemilik Śakti (Śiva), sekaligus bersifat Śākta dan Śaiva. Seperti anak tidak lahir tanpa bapa dan ibu.

Word by Word

• शक्ति: Śakti/power
• शक्ति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (used as first member in compound)

• शक्तिमत्: the powerful one
• शक्तिमत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaktimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular (used as second member in compound)

• उत्थम्: arisen from
• उत्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; with preceding members forms compound adjective

• शक्तिशक्तिमदुत्थम्: arisen from Śakti and the possessor of Śakti
• शक्तिशक्तिमदुत्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakti + śaktimat + uttha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष/निर्देश): शक्तेः शक्तिमतः च उत्थम् (arisen from Śakti and the powerful); Neuter, Nominative, Singular; agrees with जगत्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrastive particle)

• शाक्तम्: Śākta (of Śakti)
• शाक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śākta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; agrees with जगत्

• शैवम्: Śaiva (of Śiva)
• शैवम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; agrees with जगत्

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• जगत्: world/universe
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/दृष्टान्तवाचक (comparative ‘just as’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुत्रः: a son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Saha/Upapada (सह/उपपदसम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Saha/Upapada (सह/उपपदसम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (अपादानम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (preposition) governing accusative

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic origination framed through the father-mother analogy (Śiva-Śakti as conjoint cause)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that reality is grounded in the inseparable principle of Śiva (Pati, the Lord) and Śakti (His power), and that creation and liberation are understood correctly only when both are honored as one functioning truth.

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

Linga worship centers on Śiva as the supreme Lord, while acknowledging that His manifesting power is Śakti; thus devotion to the Linga is complete when one recognizes Śiva-with-Śakti as the source and support of the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva-Śakti unity while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), mentally offering worship to Śiva as Pati and to His Śakti as the power enabling grace, purification, and inner awakening.