Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

भूतेंद्रियांतःकरणप्रधानविषयात्मकम् । अपरं ब्रह्म निर्दिष्टं परं ब्रह्म चिदात्मकम्

Transliteration

bhūteṃdriyāṃtaḥkaraṇapradhānaviṣayātmakam | aparaṃ brahma nirdiṣṭaṃ paraṃ brahma cidātmakam

Translation

భూతాలు, ఇంద్రియాలు, అంతఃకరణం, ప్రధానం మరియు విషయాలతో కూడిన బ్రహ్మను ‘అపర బ్రహ్మ’ అని బోధిస్తారు; శుద్ధ చైతన్యస్వరూపమైనదే ‘పర బ్రహ్మ’ అని చెప్పబడుతుంది.

Word by Word

• bhūta-indriya-antaḥkaraṇa-pradhāna-viṣaya-ātmakam: having the nature of elements, senses, inner organ, pradhāna and objects
• bhūta-indriya-antaḥkaraṇa-pradhāna-viṣaya-ātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘aparam brahma’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + antaḥkaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pradhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रधानः, अर्थः ‘भूत-इन्द्रिय-अन्तःकरण-प्रधान-विषय-स्वरूपम्’

• aparam: lower; inferior
• aparam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘brahma’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य) in nominal predication
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirdiṣṭam: is indicated/defined
• nirdiṣṭam: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण) of ‘aparam brahma’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-√diś (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः ‘निर्दिष्टम्’ = ‘has been indicated/defined’

• param: higher; supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘brahma’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य) in nominal predication
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• cit-ātmakam: of the nature of consciousness
• cit-ātmakam: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण) of ‘param brahma’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cit (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सन्निकर्षः), अर्थः ‘चित्-स्वरूपम्’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the conditioned, experience-based reality (apara brahman—linked with elements, senses, mind and prakriti) from the ultimate reality (para brahman) as pure consciousness, pointing the seeker toward liberation by knowing Shiva as the supreme Consciousness beyond the pasha (bondage).

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

Linga worship begins with form and attributes (saguna) accessible to the senses and mind—within the apara domain—yet its purpose is to lead the devotee to realization of Shiva as para brahman, the formless consciousness indicated by the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditatively withdraw attention from sense-objects and the mind (antaḥkaraṇa), contemplate Shiva as pure consciousness (cit), and support the practice with japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to transcend the apara and abide in the para.