Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2

शक्त्यादिसृष्टिनिरूपणम् / The Account of Creation Beginning with Śakti

Devanagari script

किं तत्प्रथमसंभूतं केनेदमखिलं ततम् । केना वा पुनरेवेदं ग्रस्यते पृथुकुक्षिणा

Transliteration

kiṃ tatprathamasaṃbhūtaṃ kenedamakhilaṃ tatam | kenā vā punarevedaṃ grasyate pṛthukukṣiṇā

Translation

最初生起者为何物？此一切宇宙由谁遍满、周遍？又由谁在坏灭之时将这一切吞摄回归，纳入那广大的胎藏之中？

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Determined)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशक (that)

• प्रथमसम्भूतम्: first arisen
• प्रथमसम्भूतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama-sambhūta (प्रातिपदिक; प्रथम + सम्भूत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('first-born/first-arisen')

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (by whom/whereby)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of इदम्/विश्वम् implied)

• ततम्: spread, pervaded
• ततम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tata (प्रातिपदिक; from √tan, past participial adjective)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (spread/pervaded)

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ग्रस्यते: is devoured/absorbed
• ग्रस्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gras (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is devoured')

• पृथुकुक्षिणा: by the broad-bellied one
• पृथुकुक्षिणा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthu-kukṣi (प्रातिपदिक; पृथु + कुक्षि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ('broad-bellied')

Speaker

The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (inquiring of Sūta Gosvāmin)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya (reabsorption into the ‘vast womb’ as cosmic receptacle)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames the core Shaiva Siddhanta inquiry: the one Supreme Pati (Śiva) is sought as the first cause, the all-pervader, and the final absorber at pralaya—guiding the seeker from mere cosmology to liberation-oriented knowledge.

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

The verse asks for the all-pervading and all-absorbing reality; in Shiva Purana practice this is approached through the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible Saguna support that reveals the Nirguna Lord who transcends creation yet pervades it.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as the source, sustainer, and dissolver while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), ideally before a liṅga with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and devotion.