Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 35

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

पृथिवीं च समीकृत्य पृथिव्यां स्थापयन्गिरीन् । भूराद्यांश्चतुरो लोकान् कल्पयामास पूर्ववत्

Transliteration

pṛthivīṃ ca samīkṛtya pṛthivyāṃ sthāpayangirīn | bhūrādyāṃścaturo lokān kalpayāmāsa pūrvavat

Translation

继而他平整大地，将群山安置其上；并如往昔一般，造就以“布赫”（Bhūḥ）为首的四界诸世。

Word by Word

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• समीकृत्य: having leveled
• समीकृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ई-कृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘समीकृत्य’ = having leveled/made even

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्थापयन्: placing; setting
• स्थापयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि; ‘स्थापयन्’ = while placing/setting

• गिरीन्: mountains
• गिरीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन

• भूः: Bhū (earth-world)
• भूः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भूर्लोक’ इत्यर्थे

• आद्यान्: beginning with (Bhū)
• आद्यान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; लोकान् इति विशेषणम्; ‘भूः’ इत्यादि-विशिष्टान्

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; लोकान् इति विशेषणम्

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन

• कल्पयामास: he fashioned; arranged
• कल्पयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative) ‘कल्पयति’

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/रीतिवाचक (as before)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: post-pralaya re-creation of bhū and the lokas (bhūrādi catur-loka arrangement)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that cosmic order (loka-vyavasthā) is not random—creation unfolds according to a prior divine pattern. In Shaiva Siddhanta, such ordered manifestation points to the governance of Pati (Shiva) over the processes carried out through secondary agents like Brahma.

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

By emphasizing structured creation, the verse supports Saguna Shiva worship: devotees contemplate Shiva as the Lord who upholds cosmic law and empowers creation. Linga worship trains the mind to see the whole cosmos as resting in and supported by Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is loka-smaraṇa (contemplation of the ordered worlds) while japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to internalize harmony and steadiness, mirroring the ‘levelling’ and ‘establishing’ described in the verse.