Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 37

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

कर्ता हर्ता च भर्ता च न मयास्तिसमो विभुः । अहमेव परं ब्रह्म परं तत्त्वं पितामह

Transliteration

kartā hartā ca bhartā ca na mayāstisamo vibhuḥ | ahameva paraṃ brahma paraṃ tattvaṃ pitāmaha

Translation

میں ہی خالق، فنا کرنے والا اور پرورش کرنے والا ہوں؛ میرے برابر کوئی صاحبِ اقتدار نہیں۔ اے پِتامہ، میں ہی برتر برہمن اور اعلیٰ حقیقت ہوں۔

Word by Word

• कर्ता: creator/doer
• कर्ता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हर्ता: remover/taker away
• हर्ता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• भर्ता: sustainer/bearer
• भर्ता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• मया: than me/by me
• मया: तुल्ययोगिता/सम्बन्ध (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• समः: equal
• समः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• विभुः: the all-powerful one
• विभुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

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

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to brahma/tattva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: कर्म/प्रत्यय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to tattva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: principle/reality
• तत्त्वम्: कर्म/प्रत्यय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितामह: O Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामह: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma (Pitāmaha)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: kartā hartā ca bhartā ca na mayāstisamo vibhuḥ | ahameva paraṃ brahma paraṃ tattvaṃ pitāmaha

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Assertion of the Lord as agent of cosmic functions (kartā/bhartā/hartā), implying the full pañcakṛtya under one sovereign.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It portrays the ego of a cosmic functionary (Brahmā) claiming ultimate supremacy; in the Shiva Purana’s Shaiva Siddhanta lens, such claims highlight that creatorhood is a delegated role, while Pati (Śiva) alone is the unsurpassed Supreme who grants grace and liberation.

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

By showing that even Brahmā can mistake role-power for absolute reality, the text directs devotees toward the Linga/Saguna Śiva as the reliable object of worship—symbolizing the transcendent Pati beyond the changing offices of creation, preservation, and dissolution.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is humility and Pati-bhakti: meditate on Śiva as the true Supreme using the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), optionally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa to steady the mind against ego and cultivate surrender.