Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

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

कः पुमान् सर्वसत्त्वेभ्यः पुराणः पुरुषः परः । विशुद्धः परिपूर्णश्च शाश्वतः परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

kaḥ pumān sarvasattvebhyaḥ purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ | viśuddhaḥ paripūrṇaśca śāśvataḥ parameśvaraḥ

Translation

บุรุษสูงสุดนั้นคือผู้ใด—ผู้เก่าแก่ยิ่งกว่าสรรพสัตว์ ผู้เหนือยิ่ง ผู้บริสุทธิ์อย่างยิ่ง ผู้สมบูรณ์ ผู้เป็นนิตย์ และเป็นพระปรเมศวร?

Word by Word

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pumān: man/person
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-sattvebhyaḥ: from all beings
• sarva-sattvebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'from all beings'

• purāṇaḥ: ancient
• purāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• puruṣaḥ: person/spirit
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• viśuddhaḥ: pure
• viśuddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-śuddha (प्रातिपदिक; √śudh शुध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Past participial adjective (क्तार्थ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• paripūrṇaḥ: complete/fully perfect
• paripūrṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √pṝ पूर् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Past participial adjective (क्तार्थ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• śāśvataḥ: eternal
• śāśvataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāśvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: 'supreme Lord'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames the inquiry into Parameśvara as purāṇa-puruṣa and viśuddha—key qualifiers used in temple theology to distinguish the Jyotirliṅga as the transcendent Lord, not a mere symbol.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the central theological inquiry of Shaiva Siddhanta: identifying Pati (the Supreme Lord) as the transcendent, eternally pure and complete Parameśvara—Shiva—who stands beyond all bound beings (paśu) and their fetters (pāśa).

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

Though the verse speaks of the transcendent Supreme Person, Shiva Purana devotion approaches this same Parameśvara through accessible forms—especially the Śiva-liṅga—so the devotee can contemplate the formless purity and fullness through a sacred, saguna support.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as viśuddha (pure) and paripūrṇa (complete) while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as reminders of detachment and Shiva-tattva.