Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

अयमादिरनाद्यन्तस्स्वभावादेव निर्मलः । स्वतन्त्रः परिपूर्णश्च स्वेच्छाधीनश्चराचरः

Transliteration

ayamādiranādyantassvabhāvādeva nirmalaḥ | svatantraḥ paripūrṇaśca svecchādhīnaścarācaraḥ

Translation

Siya ang unang pinagmulan, ngunit walang pasimula at walang wakas; sa Kanyang likas na kalagayan Siya’y walang dungis at dalisay. Siya’y ganap na malaya at lubos na sakdal; at ang buong sansinukob—gumagalaw man o di-gumagalaw—ay nasa ilalim ng Kanyang sariling kalooban.

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आदिः: the beginning; origin
• आदिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनादि-अन्तः: beginningless and endless
• अनादि-अन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (अनादिश्च अन्तश्च) अर्थतः ‘without beginning and (without) end’

• स्वभावात्: from (his) own nature
• स्वभावात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• निर्मलः: pure; stainless
• निर्मलः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वतन्त्रः: independent
• स्वतन्त्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परिपूर्णः: complete; all-full
• परिपूर्णः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• स्वेच्छा-अधीनः: subject only to his own will
• स्वेच्छा-अधीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वेच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वेच्छायाः अधीनः)

• चर-अचरः: (as) the moving and the unmoving; all beings
• चर-अचरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (चरश्च अचरश्च)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; it articulates Pati’s anāditva, anantatva, nirmalatva, and svātantrya—key Siddhānta predicates for the Lord as the ultimate cause and governor.

Significance: Frames pilgrimage and worship as surrender to Śiva’s svatantra-icchā (sovereign will), cultivating īśvara-praṇidhāna and humility.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Shiva as Pati—the eternally pure, beginningless and endless Supreme—whose independence and completeness make Him the ultimate refuge; liberation arises by turning from bondage (pāśa) toward Him, the stainless Lord.

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

Though Shiva is described as transcendent (beginningless, stainless, independent), Linga worship provides a saguna focus through which devotees approach this nirguna reality—honoring Him as the source and controller of all carācara (moving and unmoving).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva’s svatantratā (sovereign freedom) while repeating the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and offer Tripuṇḍra bhasma or a Linga abhiṣeka as an outward act aligning one’s will to His will.