Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti

Devanagari script

स एव जगतः कर्ता महादेवो महेश्वराः । पाता हर्ता च सर्वस्य ततः पृथगनन्वयः

Transliteration

sa eva jagataḥ kartā mahādevo maheśvarāḥ | pātā hartā ca sarvasya tataḥ pṛthagananvayaḥ

Translation

唯有祂是宇宙的创造者——大天（Mahādeva）、大自在天（Maheśvara）。唯有祂护持万有，也唯有祂摄收万有。故祂超然独别，无可比拟，亦无等同。

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• kartā: creator/doer
• kartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + तृ (agent noun)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mahā-devaḥ: Mahādeva
• mahā-devaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (mahān devaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara
• maheśvaraḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (mahān īśvaraḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (source has maheśvarāḥ; normalized to singular for agreement)

• pātā: protector
• pātā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pā (धातु) + तृ (agent noun)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hartā: destroyer/withdrawer
• hartā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛ (धातु) + तृ (agent noun)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sarvasya: of all
• sarvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• tataḥ: therefore / from that
• tataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय/तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• pṛthak: separately / distinct
• pṛthak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ananvayaḥ: without connection / unrelated
• ananvayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-anvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषसदृश (negated adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic creation-preservation-dissolution (implicit)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Shiva (Pati) as the sole source of creation, preservation, and dissolution, affirming His unsurpassed sovereignty and guiding the seeker toward exclusive refuge in Mahadeva for liberation.

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

By declaring one Supreme Lord behind all cosmic functions, the verse supports Saguna worship—especially Linga-upasana—as a focused means to approach the transcendent Shiva who is ultimately beyond all comparisons.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is single-pointed devotion through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namah Shivaya”) with Shiva-dhyana, reinforcing surrender to Mahadeva as the one protector and liberator.