Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

सर्‍वेश्वर-परमकारण-निरूपणम् / The Supreme Lord as the Uncaused Cause

Devanagari script

एको देवो महादेवो विज्ञेयस्तु महेश्वरः । न तस्य परमं किंचित्पदं समधिगम्यते

Transliteration

eko devo mahādevo vijñeyastu maheśvaraḥ | na tasya paramaṃ kiṃcitpadaṃ samadhigamyate

Translation

พึงรู้ว่าเทพมีเพียงหนึ่งเดียว คือมหาเทวะ มเหศวร ภาวะอันสูงสุดของพระองค์ไม่มีผู้ใดจะเข้าถึงหรือหยั่งรู้ได้อย่างครบถ้วนด้วยความเข้าใจอันจำกัด.

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (the great god)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• विज्ञेयः: is to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Vidhi (विधि/Predicative necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (प्रत्यय; भाव्य/gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—यत् (gerundive) ‘to be known’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (the great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• तस्य: of him/of that (Lord)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमं: supreme
• परमं: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (something/anything)

• पदं: abode/state/position
• पदं: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समधिगम्यते: is attained/realized
• समधिगम्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अधि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthala) narration; the verse functions as a siddhānta-style ekadevatā proclamation identifying the Supreme as Mahādeva/Maheśvara rather than describing a particular Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Establishes the doctrinal orientation for Śiva-bhakti: approaching all tīrthas and liṅgas with the understanding of one Supreme Pati behind all forms.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Mahādeva as the one supreme Pati (Lord) and teaches that His highest reality transcends limited thought; liberation arises through right knowledge and devotion directed to Śiva.

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

Though Śiva’s supreme state is beyond full conceptual grasp, devotees approach Him through saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga, which anchors devotion and contemplation toward the transcendent Maheśvara.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the one Supreme Lord while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), using the liṅga as a focus for dhyāna and bhakti to move beyond mental limitations.