Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तैस्तु संच्छादितं सर्वं चतुर्दशविधं जगत् । तान्दृष्टा विविधान्रुद्रान् रुद्रमाह पितामहः

Transliteration

taistu saṃcchāditaṃ sarvaṃ caturdaśavidhaṃ jagat | tāndṛṣṭā vividhānrudrān rudramāha pitāmahaḥ

Translation

ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶଲୋକମୟ ସମଗ୍ର ଜଗତ୍ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ ଆଛାଦିତ ଓ ବ୍ୟାପ୍ତ ହେଲା। ବିଭିନ୍ନ ରୂପର ରୁଦ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖି ପିତାମହ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ରୁଦ୍ର (ଶିବ)ଙ୍କୁ କହିଲେ।

Word by Word

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ/Napुंस (Masc./Neut.), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural); sarvanāma

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Virodha/Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• saṃcchāditam: covered/filled
• saṃcchāditam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√chad (छद् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (past passive participle), Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana (Singular); viśeṣaṇa of jagat

• sarvam: entire
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana (Singular); viśeṣaṇa of jagat

• caturdaśa-vidham: fourteenfold
• caturdaśa-vidham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana (Singular); dvigu: caturdaśa-vidhaṃ (fourteenfold); viśeṣaṇa of jagat

• jagat: world/universe
• jagat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana (Singular)

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive (ktvā-anta), ‘having seen’

• vividhān: various
• vividhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); viśeṣaṇa of rudrān

• rudrān: Rudras
• rudrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• rudram: Rudra (as name/title)
• rudram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• āha: said/called
• āha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (अह् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• pitāmahaḥ: Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• pitāmahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā account; within the verse, Brahmā speaks to Rudra)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pervasion of the caturdaśa-loka cosmos by Rudra-emanations

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Rudra
• Rudras

FAQs

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

It presents Rudra as the all-pervading Pati (Lord) whose manifold forms envelop the entire fourteenfold cosmos, implying that liberation arises from recognizing Śiva’s presence beyond limited appearances.

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

The many visible Rudra-forms point to Saguna manifestations, while their cosmic pervasion hints at the one reality behind them—worship of the Śiva-liṅga serves as a focused symbol through which devotees approach that all-pervading Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with meditation on Śiva’s pervasion of all lokas, supported by Shaiva aids like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where appropriate.