Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

शक्तितत्त्ववर्णनम् / Exposition of the Principle of Śakti

Devanagari script

केन वर्तामहे शश्वत्सुखेष्वन्येषु चानिशम् । अविलंघ्या च विश्वस्य व्यवस्था केन वा कृता

Transliteration

kena vartāmahe śaśvatsukheṣvanyeṣu cāniśam | avilaṃghyā ca viśvasya vyavasthā kena vā kṛtā

Translation

Por quem permanecemos continuamente—sem cessar—na felicidade duradoura e também nas demais experiências? E por quem foi estabelecida a ordem inviolável do universo?

Word by Word

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वर्तामहे: we exist/continue
• वर्तामहे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• शश्वत्: always
• शश्वत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• सुखेषु: in pleasures/happinesses
• सुखेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन

• अन्येषु: other
• अन्येषु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सुखेषु)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• अनिशम्: continually
• अनिशम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यं/सततम् (continually)

• अविलंघ्या: inviolable/not to be transgressed
• अविलंघ्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविलङ्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: न-उपसर्गपूर्वक ‘विलङ्घ्य’ (√लङ्घ्) क्तव्य/य-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘not to be transgressed’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

• व्यवस्था: order/arrangement
• व्यवस्था: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• कृता: made/established
• कृता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘made/created’ (agreeing with व्यवस्था)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to the Shaiva Siddhanta insight that behind all changing experiences—pleasure and otherwise—stands Pati (Lord Shiva), who establishes an unbreakable cosmic order (vyavasthā) through which karma and grace operate.

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

The verse invites the seeker to trace the universe’s inviolable order back to its divine source; in Shiva Purana practice, Saguna Shiva is worshipped in the Linga as the accessible sign of that supreme governor, leading the mind from visible order to the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner ruler while japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water to the Linga with the resolve to align one’s actions with dharma—the inviolable order spoken of here.