Shiva Purana — Kailasa Samhita, Shloka 23

सृष्टिपद्धतिवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

अस्यैव वासुदेवादिचतुष्कं व्यष्टितां गतम् । उपासनरतानां वै वैष्णवानां विमुक्तिदम्

Transliteration

asyaiva vāsudevādicatuṣkaṃ vyaṣṭitāṃ gatam | upāsanaratānāṃ vai vaiṣṇavānāṃ vimuktidam

Translation

此至上实相自身分化为以婆苏提婆（Vāsudeva）为首的四重形态。对专注礼敬的毗湿奴派（Vaiṣṇava）而言，这四重显现确为赐予解脱（mokṣa）者。

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

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

• वासुदेव-आदि-चतुष्कम्: the tetrad beginning with Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव-आदि-चतुष्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय) + catuṣka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'the group of four beginning with Vāsudeva'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्यष्टिताम्: individuated state
• व्यष्टिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of individuation)

• गतम्: gone/attained
• गतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gam (धातु) → gata (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate)

• उपासना-रतानाम्: of those devoted to worship
• उपासना-रतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāsanā (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'devoted to worship'; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• वैष्णवानाम्: of the Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• विमुक्ति-दम्: granting liberation
• विमुक्ति-दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक; from √dā 'to give')
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'giver of liberation'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies catuṣkam/gatam sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the one Supreme Reality can be approached through distinct, worship-worthy manifestations; sincere upāsanā (devotional contemplation) becomes a means to liberation, while Shaiva Siddhānta frames the Supreme as Pati who grants grace leading to vimukti.

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

By affirming that the Absolute is accessible through differentiated (saguṇa) forms, it supports the Purāṇic principle that concrete symbols—such as the Śiva-liṅga—serve as valid focal points for devotion, culminating in Śiva’s grace and release from bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Upāsanā is the key practice implied—steady devotional worship with mantra-japa and meditation on the chosen form; in Shaiva practice this commonly includes pañcākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) along with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supports.