Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara

Devanagari script

प्रययौ मंदरं गौरी यत्र भर्ता महेश्वरः । सर्वेषां जगतां धाता कर्ता पाता विनाशकृत्

Transliteration

prayayau maṃdaraṃ gaurī yatra bhartā maheśvaraḥ | sarveṣāṃ jagatāṃ dhātā kartā pātā vināśakṛt

Translation

గౌరీ మందర పర్వతానికి బయలుదేరింది; అక్కడ ఆమె భర్త మహేశ్వరుడు నివసిస్తాడు—ఆయనే సమస్త లోకాల ధాత, కర్త, పాలకుడు మరియు లయకర్త।

Word by Word

• prayayau: went forth/went
• prayayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; with preverb pra- (प्र)

• mandaram: to Mandara (mountain)
• mandaram: Karma (कर्म/goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (मन्दर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative singular (2nd/द्वितीया); place-name/mountain

• gaurī: Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• gaurī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurī (गौरी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, relative adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• bhartā: the husband/lord
• bhartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (भर्तृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaraḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा) + īśvara (ईश्वर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा); karmadhāraya: ‘the great Lord’

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive plural (6th/षष्ठी)

• jagatām: of the worlds
• jagatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (जगत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive plural (6th/षष्ठी)

• dhātā: creator/sustainer
• dhātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (धातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• kartā: doer/maker
• kartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (कर्तृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• pātā: protector
• pātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātṛ (पातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• vināśa-kṛt: destroyer
• vināśa-kṛt: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināśa (विनाश) + kṛt (कृत्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा); tatpuruṣa: ‘one who causes destruction’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Mount Mandara is presented as a divine residence/meeting-place where Gaurī approaches Maheśvara; the verse is not a Jyotirliṅga-māhātmya and does not narrate a liṅga-manifestation episode.

Significance: Darśana of Śiva as jagat-kartṛ/pātṛ/vināśakṛt reinforces Pati-bhāva and inspires śaraṇāgati (refuge) in the Lord who governs all cosmic functions.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as the Supreme Pati who governs the full cosmic cycle—creation, maintenance, protection, and dissolution—while portraying Gaurī’s devoted movement toward Him as the bhakti-oriented path to aligning with that supreme reality.

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

By naming Maheśvara as the Lord present at a sacred mountain abode, the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching Śiva with form and attributes—commonly expressed through Liṅga-pūjā where the devotee contemplates Him as dhātā, kartā, pātā, and vināśakṛt.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate during Śiva-pūjā on the fourfold lordship (creator–sustainer–protector–dissolver) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as Shaiva marks of surrender.