Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य दंडवद्ब्रह्मा समुत्थाय कृतांजलिः । श्रद्धाविनयसंपन्नैः श्राव्यैः संस्करसंयुतैः

Transliteration

praṇamya daṃḍavadbrahmā samutthāya kṛtāṃjaliḥ | śraddhāvinayasaṃpannaiḥ śrāvyaiḥ saṃskarasaṃyutaiḥ

Translation

ครั้นกราบลงดุจไม้ท่อนหนึ่งแล้ว พรหมาจึงลุกขึ้น ประนมมือ กล่าวถ้อยคำอันควรแก่การสดับ—เปี่ยมด้วยศรัทธาและความนอบน้อม และขัดเกลาด้วยวินัยอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), from √नम् with प्र-

• दण्डवत्: prostratingly, like a stick
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — manner: ‘like a staff’, i.e., prostrate

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

• समुत्थाय: having risen
• समुत्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), from √स्था with सम्+उत्

• कृताञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• कृताञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अञ्जलिं कृतवान् = with hands joined); कृत = PPP from √कृ

• श्रद्धाविनयसंपन्नैः: with (hymns) endowed with faith and humility
• श्रद्धाविनयसंपन्नैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा + विनय + संपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (श्रद्धा-विनयाभ्यां संपन्न = endowed with faith and humility); संपन्न = PPP from √पद्/√पन् with सम्-

• श्राव्यैः: pleasant/fit to be heard
• श्राव्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; योग्य-विशेषण (fit to be heard)

• संस्कारसंयुतैः: accompanied by proper refinement/rites
• संस्कारसंयुतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कार + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (संस्कारैः संयुत = accompanied by refinement/rite); संयुत = PPP from √युज् with सम्-

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga origin; it depicts the archetypal posture of a deva (Brahmā) approaching Śiva with humility—often mirrored in sthala-purāṇas where gods seek Śiva’s grace to resolve cosmic impasses.

Significance: Models the inner ‘pilgrimage’ prerequisite: vinaya (humility) and śraddhā (faith) as qualifications for receiving Śiva’s upadeśa/anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva qualification for receiving higher teaching: humility (vinaya) and faith (śraddhā). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the ego that binds the paśu must soften through reverence; only then does discourse on Pati (Shiva) become truly “śrāvya”—worthy to be heard and transformative.

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

The bodily act of daṇḍavat praṇāma and the gesture of añjali are classic forms of saguna devotion—worship directed to Shiva with form (including the Linga). The verse emphasizes that outer worship bears fruit when joined with inner refinement (saṃskāra), faith, and humility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform full prostration (daṇḍavat) and offer añjali before Shiva or the Linga, then engage in disciplined, sattvic speech and attentive listening (śravaṇa). The takeaway is devotional posture plus inner śraddhā-vinaya; it pairs naturally with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before study or pūjā.