Shiva Purana — Kailasa Samhita, Shloka 12

सृष्टिपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Exposition of the Supreme Method of Creation and the Tirodhāna-Cakra

Devanagari script

गौरीशक्तियुतो वामे सर्व्वसंहारकृत्प्रभुः । अस्यैव व्यष्टिरूपं स्याच्छिवाद्यथ चतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

gaurīśaktiyuto vāme sarvvasaṃhārakṛtprabhuḥ | asyaiva vyaṣṭirūpaṃ syācchivādyatha catuṣṭayam

Translation

其左侧与高丽圣力（Gaurī-Śakti）合一；彼主为能成就万有归灭之至尊。亦由此至上者而说其差别显现（vyasṭi）为四重真实，自湿婆（Śiva）等而始。

Word by Word

• गौरी-शक्ति-युतः: endowed with Gaurī’s power
• गौरी-शक्ति-युतः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘युत’ = युज् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, विशेषण; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गौरीशक्त्या युतः)

• वामे: on the left (side)
• वामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• सर्व-सम्हार-कृत्-प्रभुः: the lord who effects the destruction of all
• सर्व-सम्हार-कृत्-प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृदन्त) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य संहारं करोतीति) + ‘प्रभु’ शीर्षपदम्

• अस्य: of this (one)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• व्यष्टि-रूपम्: the individual form
• व्यष्टि-रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (व्यष्टिः एव रूपम्)

• स्यात्: may be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन

• शिव-आदि: beginning with Śiva
• शिव-आदि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (शिवः आदिः यस्य) — ‘starting with Śiva’ इति विशेषण

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/sequence)

• चतुष्टयम्: a group of four
• चतुष्टयम्: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; संख्या-समूहवाचक

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic dissolution (sarva-saṃhāra) as a divine function executed by the Lord united with Śakti.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati (Gauri)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is never without Shakti: the Supreme Lord, united with Gauri, governs saṃhāra (cosmic withdrawal). Spiritually, this points to liberation through recognizing the One Reality as both Consciousness (Shiva/Pati) and Power/Grace (Shakti) that dissolves bondage.

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

In Linga and Saguna worship, devotees contemplate Shiva as the Lord of dissolution and grace, inseparable from Shakti. The Linga signifies the Supreme beyond form, while the verse affirms that the same Supreme also manifests in differentiated ways for devotion and instruction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva with Gauri on His left (Shiva–Shakti unity, akin to Ardhanārīśvara-bhāva) while japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” is performed, offering bhakti that seeks inner saṃhāra—dissolution of ego and bonds (pāśa).