Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा परमं देवं तमसः परमव्ययम् । अद्वितीयमनिर्देश्यमदृश्यमकृतात्मभिः

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaṃ devaṃ tamasaḥ paramavyayam | advitīyamanirdeśyamadṛśyamakṛtātmabhiḥ

Translation

เมื่อได้เห็นเทวะสูงสุดนั้น—ผู้ไม่เสื่อมสลายและอยู่เหนือความมืดแห่งอวิชชา—แม้ผู้ที่จิตยังไม่ขัดเกลาก็ยังรับรู้พระองค์ว่าเป็นเอกะ ไร้ที่พรรณนา และไม่อาจเห็นได้

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (देवम् इति)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तमसः: of darkness; of tamas
• तमसः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परमव्ययम्: supremely imperishable
• परमव्ययम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमं च तत् अव्ययम्)

• अद्वितीयम्: without a second; unique
• अद्वितीयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• अनिर्देश्यम्: indescribable
• अनिर्देश्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + निर्देश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• अदृश्यम्: invisible
• अदृश्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + दृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• अकृतात्मभिः: by those of unpurified selves
• अकृतात्मभिः: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument: by persons)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + कृत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अकृतः आत्मा येषाम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to Shiva as Pati—the Supreme Reality beyond tamas (ignorance) and decay—who is non-dual and ultimately beyond conceptual description; realization depends on inner purification rather than mere sensory seeing.

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

Though Shiva is described as unseen and indefinable (Nirguna), the Shiva Purana also upholds the Linga and other Saguna forms as compassionate supports for devotees to purify the mind and approach that very transcendent Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies आत्मशुद्धि (inner purification): steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), dhyāna on Shiva, and Shaiva disciplines like wearing Rudraksha and applying Tripundra to cultivate the fitness to ‘see’ the Supreme.