Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

एतदावृत्त्य चान्योन्यमष्टौ प्रकृतयः स्थिताः । सृष्टिपालनविध्वंसकर्मकर्त्र्यो द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

etadāvṛttya cānyonyamaṣṭau prakṛtayaḥ sthitāḥ | sṛṣṭipālanavidhvaṃsakarmakartryo dvijottamāḥ

Translation

如是彼此相互包覆，八种本初自性（prakṛti）安住不移——噢，二次生者中最胜者——作为运作之力，承担创造、护持与毁灭（消融）之业。

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'this' (object of gerund-action)

• आवृत्य: having covered
• आवृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √वृ (वृञ् आवरणे) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव, gerund); 'having covered/enveloped'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, one another
• अन्योन्यम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/परस्पर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; परस्परार्थक (reciprocal adverb)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक; प्रकृतयः इति विशेष्येण सह

• प्रकृतयः: natures/principles (prakṛtis)
• प्रकृतयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• स्थिताः: are situated/stand
• स्थिताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (ष्ठा गतिनिवृत्तौ) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'are situated/stand'

• सृष्टिपालनविध्वंसकर्मकर्त्र्यः: female agents of creation, maintenance, destruction, and action
• सृष्टिपालनविध्वंसकर्मकर्त्र्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि + पालन + विध्वंस + कर्म + कर्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (सृष्टेः पालनस्य विध्वंसस्य कर्मणः कर्त्र्यः = agents of creation, maintenance, destruction, and action)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (द्विजाः ये उत्तमाः) संबोधनार्थे अपि सम्भवः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: prakṛti as operative matrix: mutually inter-enveloping principles functioning as sṛṣṭi-sthiti-saṃhāra instruments

FAQs

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

It points to how cosmic processes work through Prakriti’s layered principles, while Shaiva Siddhanta maintains that liberation comes by turning from these changing agencies (pāśa) to the supreme Lord (Pati), Shiva, who is beyond creation, maintenance, and dissolution.

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

The Linga signifies Shiva as the transcendent ground of all functions; worship of Saguna Shiva (with form and qualities) purifies the soul and loosens bondage to prakriti, helping the devotee recognize the Lord as the master of sṛṣṭi–sthiti–saṁhāra rather than merely their product.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative discrimination (viveka) during japa of the Panchakshara—understanding that the mind and world are prakriti’s layers—while steadying devotion through Shiva-upasana such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and mantra-japa to orient the soul toward Pati.