Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

इतीदृशं यदा नासीद्यत्तत्सदसदात्मकम् । योगिनोंतर्हिताकाशे यत्पश्यंति निरंतरम्

Transliteration

itīdṛśaṃ yadā nāsīdyattatsadasadātmakam | yoginoṃtarhitākāśe yatpaśyaṃti niraṃtaram

Translation

当那样的境界尚未生起之时，那真实已作为显与不显二者的本质而存在。它是恒常现前的原理，瑜伽行者在隐秘的内在虚空——在意识的微妙苍穹中——不断观见它。

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (इति)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इत्यर्थक निपात)

• īdṛśam: such; of this kind
• īdṛśam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (ईदृश) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (1st/2nd), Ekavacana; predicative with āsīt

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (यदा)
• Form: Avyaya, temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Avyaya, negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• āsīt: was/existed
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्) (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्), Past/Imperfect; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun introducing clause

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; correlative pronoun

• sat-asat-ātmakam: of the nature of being and non-being
• sat-asat-ātmakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (सत्) + asat (असत्) + ātmaka (आत्मक) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष; ‘having the nature of sat and asat’); Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agreeing with yat/tat

• yoginaḥ: yogis
• yoginaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (योगिन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• antarhita-ākāśe: in the concealed/inner space
• antarhita-ākāśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antarhita (अन्तर्हित, √dhā with antar-?; lexical ‘hidden’) + ākāśa (आकाश) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय; ‘hidden/inner space’); Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; locative

• yat: which (that)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; object of paśyanti

• paśyanti: see
• paśyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्), Present; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• nirantaram: continuously; without break
• nirantaram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nirantara (निरन्तर) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa creation discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pre-manifestation (prior to differentiated creation)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to Shiva as the supreme Reality that transcends creation—experienced by yogins as the uninterrupted awareness in the inner space, beyond ordinary perception of manifest and unmanifest.

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

The Linga signifies that very Reality which is beyond form yet supports all forms; worship of Saguna Shiva trains the mind to recognize the same Shiva as the subtle, formless presence seen by yogins within.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the ‘inner sky’ (antar-ākāśa) with steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), allowing awareness to rest continuously in Shiva-consciousness rather than external objects.