Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

त्रिमूर्तिसाम्यं तथा महेश्वरस्य परमार्थकारणत्वम् | Equality of the Trimūrti and Maheśvara as the Supreme Cause

Devanagari script

तत्र कार्यं च करणं संसिद्धं ब्रह्मणो यदा । तदंडे सुप्रवृद्धो ऽभूत्क्षेत्रज्ञो ब्रह्मसंज्ञितः

Transliteration

tatra kāryaṃ ca karaṇaṃ saṃsiddhaṃ brahmaṇo yadā | tadaṃḍe supravṛddho 'bhūtkṣetrajño brahmasaṃjñitaḥ

Translation

当在那宇宙秩序之中，梵天（Brahmā）之所作之果（将显现之世界）与其诸造化之具（诸器用）皆已圆满成就之时，于彼宇宙卵中便出现——完全成熟——“田知者”（Kṣetrajña），其名号称为“梵天”。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there, in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there/then)

• कार्यं: the effect, the product
• कार्यं: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; with करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as subject-member)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• करणं: the instrument, the means
• करणं: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; with कार्यम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as subject-member)

• संसिद्धम्: fully accomplished, perfected
• संसिद्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+√सिध् (धातु) से निष्पन्न 'संसिद्ध' (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कार्यं करणं च इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of Brahman)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction: when)

• तत्-अण्डे: in that egg
• तत्-अण्डे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'तस्य अण्डे'

• सुप्रवृद्धः: well-grown, greatly developed
• सुप्रवृद्धः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रवृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √वृध् धातु से)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त/विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभूत्: became, arose
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षेत्रज्ञः: the knower of the field (conscious principle)
• क्षेत्रज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'क्षेत्रं जानाति' (knower of the field)

• ब्रह्म-संज्ञितः: named ‘Brahman’
• ब्रह्म-संज्ञितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा धातु से कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'ब्रह्म इति संज्ञा यस्य/येन' (called Brahman)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-sṛṣṭi (Brahmā’s manifestation within the aṇḍa)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the manifested field of experience (kṣetra—creation and its instruments) from the conscious knower (kṣetrajña), showing that even the creator Brahmā arises within the cosmic process, while Shaiva Siddhanta ultimately points beyond this to Pati (Shiva) as the supreme source and Lord of all knowing.

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

By placing Brahmā inside the cosmic egg as a developed kṣetrajña, the verse implies that creation is not the highest reality; Linga worship centers the devotee on Shiva as the transcendent-immanent Lord (Pati) who precedes and governs Brahmā, Vishnu, and the created order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is kṣetra–kṣetrajña viveka (discernment): meditate on oneself as the witnessing consciousness while offering worship to Shiva-Linga with Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), reinforcing that the Lord is beyond the instruments and products of creation.