Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

परस्य दुर्‍निर्णयः—षट्कुलीयमुनिविवादः तथा ब्रह्मदर्शनार्थं मेरुप्रयाणम् | The Dispute of the Six-Lineage Sages on the Supreme and Their Journey to Brahmā at Meru

Devanagari script

तमेवंवादिनं देवं ब्रह्माणं ब्रह्मवित्तमाः । वाग्भिर्विनयगर्भाभिस्सर्वे प्रांजलयो ऽब्रुवन्

Transliteration

tamevaṃvādinaṃ devaṃ brahmāṇaṃ brahmavittamāḥ | vāgbhirvinayagarbhābhissarve prāṃjalayo 'bruvan

Translation

เมื่อเทวพรหมตรัสดังนั้น เหล่าผู้รู้พรหมันอันประเสริฐทั้งปวงต่างประนมมือด้วยความเคารพ แล้วกราบทูลด้วยถ้อยคำอ่อนน้อมถ่อมตน

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• वादिनम्: speaking (one who speaks)
• वादिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vādin (प्रातिपदिक; √vad (धातु) + in)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; विशेषण (qualifying ‘tam/devam’)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ब्रह्मवित्तमाः: the best knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवित्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-vit-tama (प्रातिपदिक; brahma + vit (√vid ‘to know’) + tama)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘श्रेष्ठाः’ superlative sense

• वाग्भिः: with words/speech
• वाग्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• विनयगर्भाभिः: having humility as their essence
• विनयगर्भाभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya-garbha (प्रातिपदिक; vinaya + garbha)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; विशेषण (qualifying ‘vāgbhiḥ’)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• प्राञ्जलयः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘अञ्जलिं कृत्वा’ sense (hands folded)

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speaker

Brahmavid-s (sages/knowers of Brahman) addressing Brahma (narrated by Suta Goswami in the Vayu Samhita context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights vinaya (humility) and prāñjali-bhāva (reverent posture) as essential inner disciplines for receiving higher knowledge—an attitude aligned with Shaiva Siddhanta, where grace and right understanding arise in a purified, ego-softened mind.

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

Though the verse addresses Brahmā, it models the devotional etiquette central to Saguna Shiva worship: approaching the divine (and divine teachings) with folded hands, restraint, and humble speech—qualities that make Linga-pūjā and scriptural hearing (śravaṇa) fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt prāñjali-mudrā and speak a brief, humble prayer before study or pūjā; as a Shaiva practice, begin japa with a vinaya-sankalpa and the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to steady the mind in reverence.