Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

ऋगयं स्थापयामास समासात्त्वर्थमात्मनः । रजोगुणेषु ब्रह्माणं मूर्तिष्वाद्यं क्रियास्वपि

Transliteration

ṛgayaṃ sthāpayāmāsa samāsāttvarthamātmanaḥ | rajoguṇeṣu brahmāṇaṃ mūrtiṣvādyaṃ kriyāsvapi

Translation

Ngài đã thiết lập Ṛg-veda như lời kết tinh súc tích về ý nghĩa cốt tủy của chính Ngài; và trong các trạng thái của rajas-guṇa, Ngài đặt Brahmā làm bậc đầu—đứng trước trong các hình tướng (mūrti) và cũng đứng trước trong các hành nghiệp sáng tạo.

Word by Word

• ऋगयम्: the Ṛg (Ṛgveda)
• ऋगयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋग् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘ऋच्/ऋग्’ (Rig-veda/ṛk)

• स्थापयामास: established/placed
• स्थापयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘caused to be placed/established’

• समासात्: from (a) compendium/summary
• समासात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अनुयोगार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• अर्थम्: meaning/purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of himself/of the Self
• आत्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• रजोगुणेषु: in the rajas-guṇas
• रजोगुणेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (रजसः गुणाः)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘Brahmā’

• मूर्तिषु: in forms/manifestations
• मूर्तिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• आद्यम्: the first/primordial
• आद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्माणम्)

• क्रियासु: in actions/rites
• क्रियासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents revelation and creation as ordered by the Supreme Lord: the Veda conveys His essential purport, and the creative function is delegated through rajas, showing that all cosmic processes operate under Pati (the Lord), not independently.

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

By placing Brahmā and the guṇas within the Lord’s governance, the verse supports Saguna worship—seeing the Linga as the sovereign source from whom forms, scriptures, and functions proceed, while the Lord remains the controller beyond the guṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Vedic recitation and japa with the intent to grasp the Lord’s purport—especially Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—while contemplating that rajas-driven activity is to be offered back to Shiva as worship (kriyā-śuddhi).