Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

रुद्रस्य परमात्मत्वे ब्रह्मपुत्रत्वादिसंशयप्रश्नः — Questions on Rudra’s Supremacy and His ‘Sonship’ to Brahmā

Devanagari script

ससर्ज भगावन् विष्णुर्विश्वं विश्वसृजा सह । विष्णोस्तद्वैभवं दृष्ट्वा सृष्टस्तेन पितामहः

Transliteration

sasarja bhagāvan viṣṇurviśvaṃ viśvasṛjā saha | viṣṇostadvaibhavaṃ dṛṣṭvā sṛṣṭastena pitāmahaḥ

Translation

Đức Viṣṇu chí phúc, cùng với nguyên lý sáng tạo của vũ trụ, đã hiển lộ nên thế gian. Thấy uy quang ấy của Viṣṇu, Pitāmaha (Phạm Thiên) được chính Ngài sinh khởi.

Word by Word

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• विश्व-सृजा: with the world-creator
• विश्व-सृजा: Sahakāraka (सहकारी/Instrumental associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सृज् (धातु) → सृज्-शब्द/सृज् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य सृजा = by the creator of the world)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (indeclinable meaning 'together with')

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/Genitive), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वैभवम्: majesty, power
• वैभवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (gerund/absolutive), 'having seen'

• सृष्टः: was created
• सृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) → सृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; of implied 'was')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā account to the sages, with the cosmology framed in Shaiva supremacy)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic sequence: Viṣṇu manifests universe; Brahmā arises upon seeing/within Viṣṇu’s vaibhava (delegated creative office)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a hierarchy of manifestation: the world and even Brahmā’s creatorhood arise within divine power, pointing the seeker beyond created functions toward Śiva as the ultimate Pati (Lord) who grants liberation.

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

By showing that cosmic roles (creation, preservation) operate within a higher sovereignty, it supports Linga-worship as devotion to the supreme ground of all functions—Saguna Śiva as approachable Lord and Nirguna Śiva as the transcendent source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as Pati beyond all cosmic offices while japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—is performed, using Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa to steady devotion and discrimination.