Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

यस्मात्सर्वमिदं ब्रह्मविष्णुरुद्रेन्द्रपूर्वकम् । सह भूतेन्द्रियैः सर्वैः प्रथमं संप्रसूयते

Transliteration

yasmātsarvamidaṃ brahmaviṣṇurudrendrapūrvakam | saha bhūtendriyaiḥ sarvaiḥ prathamaṃ saṃprasūyate

Translation

จากพระองค์ ในปฐมกาล ระเบียบแห่งสรรพสิ่งที่ปรากฏทั้งหมด—มีพรหมา วิษณุ รุทร และอินทร์เป็นประธาน—พร้อมด้วยธาตุทั้งหลายและอินทรีย์ทั้งปวง ย่อมอุบัติขึ้นเป็นครั้งแรก

Word by Word

• यस्मात्: from whom / from which
• यस्मात्: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all (everything)
• सर्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-रुद्र-इन्द्र-पूर्वकम्: with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and Indra foremost
• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-रुद्र-इन्द्र-पूर्वकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (ब्रह्म-विष्णु-रुद्र-इन्द्र) + तत्पुरुष (पूर्वक) — ‘having Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Indra at the fore’

• सह: together with
• सह: सम्बन्ध (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (with/together with)

• भूत-इन्द्रियैः: with the elements and the senses
• भूत-इन्द्रियैः: सहकारक/करण (Association/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (भूतानि च इन्द्रियाणि च)

• सर्वैः: all
• सर्वैः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• प्रथमम्: first / at first
• प्रथमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• सं-प्रसूयते: is brought forth / is produced
• सं-प्रसूयते: क्रिया (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्रसू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे—‘is produced/comes forth’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Positions Śiva as the ultimate source even of the functional deities (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Indra) and of bhūtas/indriyas; reinforces pilgrimage as return to the causal source rather than mere deva-worship.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-beginning (sṛṣṭy-ādi) implied

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra
• Indra

FAQs

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

It establishes the Supreme Source (Pati) as the origin of the entire cosmos, including the highest deities and the inner instruments of experience (elements and senses), reinforcing that liberation comes by turning to that Source rather than to limited manifestations.

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

Since even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and Indra arise from the primordial Source, the Liṅga symbolizes that transcendent origin (Nirguṇa) while also serving as a Saguna focus for devotion—worship is directed to the Cause behind all divine functions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while meditating that all tattvas—body, senses, and world—arise from and rest in Shiva, cultivating detachment and devotion.