Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

शिवस्य परापरब्रह्मस्वरूपनिर्णयः / Determination of Śiva as Higher and Lower Brahman

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । विग्रहं देवदेवस्य विश्वमेतच्चराचरम् । तदेवं न विजानंति पशवः पाशगौरवात्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | vigrahaṃ devadevasya viśvametaccarācaram | tadevaṃ na vijānaṃti paśavaḥ pāśagauravāt

Translation

อุปมันยุกล่าวว่า “จักรวาลทั้งปวง ทั้งที่เคลื่อนไหวและไม่เคลื่อนไหว ล้วนเป็นรูปปรากฏของเทพเหนือเทพ คือพระศิวะ แต่สัตว์ผู้ถูกผูกพันไม่รู้เช่นนั้น เพราะถูกความหนักและอำนาจของบาศ (ปาศะ) ครอบงำ”.

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विग्रहम्: form/manifestation
• विग्रहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चर-अचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चर-अचरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चरम् च अचरम् च)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; (तद् + एवम् इत्यर्थे)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• विजानन्ति: know/understand
• विजानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पशवः: beings (bound souls)/creatures
• पशवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), बहुवचन

• पाश-गौरवात्: due to the heaviness/weight of bondage
• पाश-गौरवात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक) + गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पाशस्य गौरवम्)

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta view that Śiva (Pati) pervades and manifests as the whole cosmos, but the individual soul (paśu) fails to perceive this truth because it is constrained by bondage (pāśa) such as ignorance and karmic limitation.

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

If the universe is Śiva’s manifestation, then the Liṅga becomes a concentrated, worshipful symbol of that same all-pervading Śiva—helping the bound soul move from limited perception to recognizing Śiva’s presence everywhere.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is contemplative worship (dhyāna) that trains the mind to see all that moves and does not move as Śiva’s presence, supported by regular japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to loosen the grip of pāśa (bondage).