Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 71

सर्गविभागवर्णनम्

Classification of Creation: the Nine Sargas and the Streams of Beings

Devanagari script

महदाद्योविशेषांतो विकारः प्रकृतेः स्वयम् । चंद्रसूर्यप्रभाजुष्टो ग्रहनक्षत्रमंडितः । नदीभिश्च समुद्रैश्च पर्वतैश्च स मंडितः । परैश्च विविधैरम्यैस्स्फीतैर्जनपदैस्तथा

Transliteration

mahadādyoviśeṣāṃto vikāraḥ prakṛteḥ svayam | caṃdrasūryaprabhājuṣṭo grahanakṣatramaṃḍitaḥ | nadībhiśca samudraiśca parvataiśca sa maṃḍitaḥ | paraiśca vividhairamyaissphītairjanapadaistathā

Translation

从“大我”(Mahat)起，直至粗显的诸差别(viśeṣa)，此整个宇宙本身即是原质(Prakṛti)的变现。它受月与日的光辉所庄严，又以诸行星与星宿群而为璎珞；并以江河、海洋、群山为饰，同样也以种种多样、秀美而繁盛的国土与境域而增辉。

Word by Word

• mahat-ādyaḥ-viśeṣa-antaḥ: beginning with Mahat and ending in the particulars
• mahat-ādyaḥ-viśeṣa-antaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + ādya (प्रातिपदिक) + viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (आद्यः महत्, अन्तः विशेषः इत्यर्थे)

• vikāraḥ: transformation, modification
• vikāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• prakṛteḥ: of Prakṛti (nature)
• prakṛteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• svayam: by itself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; svārtha-avyaya (स्वार्थ)

• candra-sūrya-prabhā-juṣṭaḥ: adorned with the radiance of moon and sun
• candra-sūrya-prabhā-juṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhā (प्रातिपदिक) + juṣṭa (कृदन्त, √juṣ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (चन्द्रसूर्ययोः प्रभया जुष्टः)

• graha-nakṣatra-maṇḍitaḥ: decorated with planets and stars
• graha-nakṣatra-maṇḍitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक) + nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍita (कृदन्त, √maṇḍ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ग्रहैः नक्षत्रैश्च मण्डितः)

• nadībhiḥ: with rivers
• nadībhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• samudraiḥ: with oceans
• samudraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• parvataiḥ: with mountains
• parvataiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• saḥ: he/that (it)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम

• maṇḍitaḥ: adorned
• maṇḍitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maṇḍita (कृदन्त, √maṇḍ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle)

• paraiḥ: with other
• paraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम् (janapadaiḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• vividhaiḥ: various
• vividhaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम्

• amyaiḥ: lovely, charming
• amyaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम्

• sphītaiḥ: prosperous, abundant
• sphītaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम्

• janapadaiḥ: with regions/countries
• janapadaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tathā: thus, likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It frames the world as Prakṛti’s transformation—an ordered, beautiful field of experience—so the seeker can discern the created (vikāra) from the Lord (Pati) who transcends yet governs it, turning perception into discrimination that supports liberation.

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

By describing the cosmos as a product of Prakṛti, the verse implicitly points to Shiva as the transcendent Lord beyond Prakṛti; in Saguna worship, the Linga becomes the focused symbol through which the mind withdraws from the many ornaments of creation and rests in the one Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice tattva-vicāra (discernment): contemplate the universe—from Mahat to the visible heavens and earth—as mutable Prakṛti, then steady the mind in Shiva through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the unchanging refuge.