Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 33

पशु-पाश-पतिविचारः / Inquiry into Paśu, Pāśa, and Pati

Devanagari script

मायी विश्वं सृजत्यस्मिन्निविष्टो मायया परः । मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं तु महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

māyī viśvaṃ sṛjatyasminniviṣṭo māyayā paraḥ | māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ vidyānmāyinaṃ tu maheśvaram

Translation

至上者虽超越一切，却凭自身的摩耶（Māyā）入于此宇宙；作为执持摩耶者，祂令万有显现。应知摩耶即是自性（Prakṛti， प्रकृति），而执摩耶者即是大自在天（Maheśvara，湿婆）。

Word by Word

• māyī: the possessor of māyā
• māyī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• sṛjati: creates
• sṛjati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• asmin: in this (world)
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• niviṣṭaḥ: entered/abiding
• niviṣṭaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘entered/established’

• māyayā: by māyā
• māyayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• paraḥ: transcendent
• paraḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• māyām: māyā
• māyām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• prakṛtim: Prakṛti (Nature)
• prakṛtim: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (māyām ... prakṛtim) समानााधिकरण

• vidyāt: one should know
• vidyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (आज्ञार्थे)

• māyinam: the wielder of māyā
• māyinam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक (particle)

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara
• maheśvaram: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to māyinam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (mahān īśvaraḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Maheśvara)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) from Māyā/Prakṛti (the binding power), teaching that the world is manifested through Māyā while Śiva remains transcendent—guiding the seeker to liberation by knowing the Lord as separate from the bonds.

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

Since Śiva can be immanent in creation through Māyā, He is worshipped in accessible forms—especially the Śiva-liṅga—as Saguna (with attributes) for devotion, while the teaching simultaneously points to His Nirguna transcendence beyond Prakṛti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the difference between the Lord (Maheśvara) and Māyā (Prakṛti) while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offer bhakti to the Śiva-liṅga to loosen the bondage of māyā and steady the mind toward moksha.