Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

इति सह महतीं महीं महीध्रैः प्रलयमहाजलधेरधःस्थमध्यात् । उपरि च विनिवेश्य विश्वकर्मा चरमचरं च जगत्ससर्ज भूयः

Transliteration

iti saha mahatīṃ mahīṃ mahīdhraiḥ pralayamahājaladheradhaḥsthamadhyāt | upari ca viniveśya viśvakarmā caramacaraṃ ca jagatsasarja bhūyaḥ

Translation

ดังนี้ เมื่อยกแผ่นดินอันกว้างใหญ่พร้อมขุนเขาทั้งหลายขึ้นจากส่วนกลางเบื้องล่างแห่งมหาสมุทรน้ำแห่งปรลัย แล้วสถาปนาไว้เบื้องบน วิศวกรรมาจึงเนรมิตโลกทั้งปวงขึ้นใหม่ ทั้งที่เคลื่อนไหวและไม่เคลื่อนไหว

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-समाप्त्यर्थ/उद्धरणसूचक

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with)

• महतीम्: great
• महतीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; महीम् इति विशेषणम्

• महीम्: the Earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• महीध्रैः: with mountains
• महीध्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीम् धरन्ति इति)

• प्रलयमहाजलधेः: of the great ocean of dissolution
• प्रलयमहाजलधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय + महा + जलधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (प्रलयस्य महाजलधिः)

• अधःस्थ: situated below
• अधःस्थ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘अधः’ इत्यव्ययपूर्वकः अव्ययीभावः; मध्यात् इति विशेषणम्

• मध्यात्: from the middle
• मध्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• उपरि: above; on top
• उपरि: Desha (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (locative adverb)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• विनिवेश्य: having placed
• विनिवेश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-विश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘विनिवेश्य’ = having placed/settled

• विश्वकर्मा: Viśvakarmā (the cosmic artisan)
• विश्वकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य कर्म विश्वम्) / नामरूपेण देवः

• चरम्: moving (beings)
• चरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अचरम् इति सह द्वन्द्वार्थे जगत् इति विशेषणम्

• अचरम्: non-moving (beings)
• अचरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जगत् इति विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• ससर्ज: he created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya-ocean (mahā-jala) and cyclical re-manifestation of cara–acara

Characters & Entities

• Vishvakarma

FAQs

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

It highlights the cyclical rhythm of pralaya and renewed creation: forms dissolve, yet the cosmic order is re-established. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this points beyond changing worlds to the steady reality of Pati (Śiva), under whose governance creation is restored for the souls’ continued experience and eventual liberation.

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

Though Viśvakarmā is named as the architect, the Shiva Purana’s intent is that all ordered manifestation proceeds under Śiva’s supreme lordship. Linga worship centers the devotee in that unchanging Lord (Pati) who remains constant through dissolution and re-creation, while Saguna forms guide devotion within the re-manifested cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate impermanence (pralaya) and stability in Śiva: repeat the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while meditating on Śiva as the ground of all worlds. As a simple Shaiva practice, apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembering that forms arise and subside, but Śiva’s grace leads toward moksha.