Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

प्रारब्धचण्डनृत्येषु ततः प्रलयवारिषु । ब्रह्मा नारायणो भूत्वा सुष्वाप सलिले सुखम्

Transliteration

prārabdhacaṇḍanṛtyeṣu tataḥ pralayavāriṣu | brahmā nārāyaṇo bhūtvā suṣvāpa salile sukham

Translation

เมื่อการร่ายรำอันดุเดือดเริ่มขึ้น และต่อมาน้ำแห่งปรลัยแผ่ไปทั่วทุกทิศ พรหมาได้เป็นนารายณ์ แล้วบรรทมอย่างผาสุกเหนือสายน้ำนั้น

Word by Word

• प्रारब्ध-चण्ड-नृत्येषु: when fierce dances had begun
• प्रारब्ध-चण्ड-नृत्येषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रारब्ध (कृदन्त; √रभ्/√रम्भ् धातु) + चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (in the begun fierce dances)

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/क्रम (Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रलय-वारिषु: in the deluge-waters
• प्रलय-वारिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक) + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (waters of dissolution)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• नारायणः: (as) Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: कर्ता-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• सुष्वाप: slept
• सुष्वाप: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सलिले: in the water
• सलिले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सुखम्: happily/comfortably
• सुखम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative used adverbially)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya-waters; yoganidrā motif after dissolution

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narayana

FAQs

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

It depicts pralaya—when created powers withdraw—and shows that even Brahmā and Nārāyaṇa rest within dissolution, implying that the ultimate ground beyond cosmic cycles is Pati (Śiva), the transcendent Lord who governs creation, preservation, and reabsorption.

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

Pralaya imagery emphasizes the need for an unchanging refuge; in Shaiva tradition, the Liṅga signifies that stable, beginningless reality of Śiva. Saguna worship (Śiva with attributes) guides the devotee to the nirguṇa truth that remains when all forms dissolve.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate impermanence (pralaya-bhāvanā) and take shelter in japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva as the constant Pati amid changing worlds.