Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti

Devanagari script

अचेतनत्वात्प्रकृतेरज्ञत्वात्पुरुषस्य च । प्रधानपरमाण्वादि यावत्किञ्चिदचेतनम्

Transliteration

acetanatvātprakṛterajñatvātpuruṣasya ca | pradhānaparamāṇvādi yāvatkiñcidacetanam

Translation

பிரகிருதி ஜடமானது; கட்டுண்ட புருஷனும் உண்மையான ஞானமற்றவன். ஆகவே பிரதானம் முதல் அணுக்கள் வரை உள்ள அனைத்தும் தன்னிலையே அசேதனமென அறிய வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• acetanatvāt: due to being insentient
• acetanatvāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acetanatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• prakṛteḥ: of nature
• prakṛteḥ: Sambandha (Relationship/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ajñatvāt: due to lack of knowledge
• ajñatvāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• puruṣasya: of the person/soul
• puruṣasya: Sambandha (Relationship/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• pradhāna-paramāṇu-ādi: starting with Pradhana and atoms
• pradhāna-paramāṇu-ādi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradhāna, paramāṇu, ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• yāvat: whatever
• yāvat: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/Relative Pronoun

• kiñcit: something
• kiñcit: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiñcid (अव्यय)
• Form: Indefinite Pronoun

• acetanam: insentient
• acetanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: ontological demarcation: jaḍa range from pradhāna to atoms; paśu’s ajñāna highlighted

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Purusha
• Pradhana
• Paramanu

FAQs

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

It distinguishes Shiva (Pati) as the ultimate Consciousness from the insentient field of matter (Prakṛti) and from the bound soul (puruṣa) clouded by ignorance—pointing to liberation through Shiva’s grace and right knowledge.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to recognize Shiva as the conscious Lord who illumines all insentient categories (from Pradhāna to atoms). Saguna Shiva is adored as the compassionate revealer of knowledge that removes the puruṣa’s ajñāna.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as pure Awareness distinct from body-mind and material tattvas; support this with japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and, where traditional, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) to remember the perishable nature of insentient matter.