Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 15

Mukti-bheda-nirūpaṇa (Classification of Liberation) and Śiva as the Sole Bestower of Mokṣa

Devanagari script

आकाशं व्यापकं यद्वत्तथैव व्यापकन्त्विदम् । मायातीतं परात्मानं द्वन्द्वातीतं विमत्सरम्

Transliteration

ākāśaṃ vyāpakaṃ yadvattathaiva vyāpakantvidam | māyātītaṃ parātmānaṃ dvandvātītaṃ vimatsaram

Translation

Kung paanong ang ākāśa (kalawakan) ay laganap sa lahat, gayundin ang Katotohanang Ito ay sumasaklaw sa lahat. Ito ang Paramātman, lampas sa Māyā, lampas sa lahat ng dalawahan, at malaya sa inggit at pakikipagpaligsahan.

Word by Word

• ākāśam: space/sky
• ākāśam: Upamāna (उपमानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vyāpakam: all-pervading
• vyāpakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• yadvat: just as
• yadvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadvat (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: 'just as')

• tathā: so/thus
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: तथावाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb: 'so/thus')

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• vyāpakam: all-pervading
• vyāpakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• idam: this (reality)
• idam: Upameya (उपमेयम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• māyā-atītam: beyond māyā
• māyā-atītam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समास (मायाम् अतीतम् = beyond māyā); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• para-ātmānam: the Supreme Self
• para-ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (परः आत्मा = supreme Self); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• dvandva-atītam: beyond dualities
• dvandva-atītam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvandva (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष (द्वन्द्वम् अतीतम् = beyond dualities); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vi-matsaram: free from envy
• vi-matsaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + matsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तुल्य-निषेधार्थक 'वि-' (privation) युक्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: आकाशं व्यापकं यद्वत्तथैव व्यापकन्त्विदम् । मायातीतं परात्मानं द्वन्द्वातीतं विमत्सरम्

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, as the Supreme Self (Parātman), pervades everything like space and is untouched by Māyā and the pairs of opposites—guiding the seeker toward non-dual, liberated awareness rooted in Shaiva devotion.

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

The verse points to Nirguna Shiva (all-pervading, beyond Māyā), while Linga worship provides a Saguna support for meditation—helping the devotee move from form-based worship to realization of Shiva’s formless, pervasive reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as all-pervading (vyāpaka) while japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” ideally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, cultivating freedom from द्वन्द्व (dualities) and matsara (envy).