Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause

Devanagari script

क्वचिद्ब्रह्मा क्वचिद्विष्णुः क्वचिद्रुद्रः प्रशस्यते । नानेन तेषामाधिक्यमैश्वर्यं चातिरिच्यते

Transliteration

kvacidbrahmā kvacidviṣṇuḥ kvacidrudraḥ praśasyate | nānena teṣāmādhikyamaiśvaryaṃ cātiricyate

Translation

కొన్ని చోట్ల బ్రహ్మను, కొన్ని చోట్ల విష్ణువును, మరికొన్ని చోట్ల రుద్రుని స్తుతిస్తారు. అయితే దీనివల్ల వారిలో ఎవరికీ ప్రత్యేకమైన అధికత్వమో అధిక ఈశ్వరత్వమో నిజంగా స్థాపితం కాదు.

Word by Word

• kvacit: somewhere/sometimes
• kvacit: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kvacit: elsewhere/at times
• kvacit: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/कालवाचक अव्यय)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kvacit: elsewhere/at times
• kvacit: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/कालवाचक अव्यय)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• praśasyate: is praised
• praśasyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Passive sense ‘is praised’ (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधक अव्यय)

• anena: by this/thereby
• anena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ādhikyam: superiority/excess
• ādhikyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādhikya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); here as subject with atiricyate

• aiśvaryam: lordship/power
• aiśvaryam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); coordinated with ādhikyam

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• atiricyate: exceeds/is greater
• atiricyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati-√ric (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); intransitive ‘exceeds/is in excess’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that scriptural praise of different deities is contextual and functional; true spiritual discernment avoids egoic comparison and points toward the one supreme Reality (Pati) that grants liberation.

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

It supports focused devotion without rivalry: even when other deities are praised, a Śaiva may worship the Liṅga as the accessible Saguna form of the Supreme, understanding other praises as role-based within cosmic governance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt steady, non-comparative devotion: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with calm contemplation that divine praise is meant to elevate the mind, not to create hierarchy-driven conflict.