The Creation, Preservation, and Dissolution of the World

Verse 1 (shiva.vayaviya.9.1)

मुनय ऊचुः । कथं जगदिदं कृत्स्नं विधाय च निधाय च । आज्ञया परमां क्रीडां करोति परमेश्वरः

munaya ūcuḥ | kathaṁ jagadidaṁ kṛtsnaṁ vidhāya ca nidhāya ca | ājñayā paramāṁ krīḍāṁ karoti parameśvaraḥ

The sages said: Having fashioned this entire universe and set it in its place, how does the Supreme Lord perform his great sport by his mere command?

Verse 2 (shiva.vayaviya.9.2)

किं तत्प्रथमसम्भूतं केनेदमखिलं ततम् । केन वा पुनरेवेदं ग्रस्यते पृथुकुक्षिणा

kiṁ tatprathamasambhūtaṁ kenedamakhilaṁ tatam | kena vā punarevedaṁ grasyate pṛthukukṣiṇā

What is that which first came into existence? By what is this entire universe pervaded? And by what vast-bellied one is it again swallowed up?

Verse 3 (shiva.vayaviya.9.3)

वायुरुवाच । शक्तिः प्रथमसम्भूता शान्त्यतीतपदोत्तरा । ततो माया ततोऽव्यक्तं शिवाच्छक्तिमतः प्रभोः

vāyuruvāca | śaktiḥ prathamasambhūtā śāntyatītapadottarā | tato māyā tato'vyaktaṁ śivācchaktimataḥ prabhoḥ

Vayu said: Shakti was the first to arise, beyond even the state called Shantyatita. From her came Maya, and from that the Unmanifest -- all proceeding from Shiva, the Lord who holds that Shakti.

Verse 4 (shiva.vayaviya.9.4)

शान्त्यतीतपदं शक्तेस्ततः शान्तिपदं क्रमात् । ततो विद्यापदं तस्मात्प्रतिष्ठापदसम्भवः

śāntyatītapadaṁ śaktestataḥ śāntipadaṁ kramāt | tato vidyāpadaṁ tasmātpratiṣṭhāpadasambhavaḥ

From Shakti arises the Shantyatita state; then, in due sequence, the Shanti state; from that the Vidya state, and from that the Pratishtha state comes into being.

Verse 5 (shiva.vayaviya.9.5)

निवृत्तिपदमुत्पन्नं प्रतिष्ठापदतः क्रमात् । एवमुक्ता समासेन सृष्टिरीश्वरचोदिता

nivṛttipadamutpannaṁ pratiṣṭhāpadataḥ kramāt | evamuktā samāsena sṛṣṭirīśvaracoditā

From the Pratishtha state, in due order, arises the Nivritti state. Thus, in brief, has this creation set in motion by the Lord been told.

Verse 6 (shiva.vayaviya.9.6)

आनुलोम्यात्तथैतेषां प्रातिलोम्येन संहृतिः । अस्मात्पञ्चपदोद्दिष्टात्परः स्रष्टा समिष्यते

ānulomyāttathaiteṣāṁ prātilomyena saṁhṛtiḥ | asmātpañcapadoddiṣṭātparaḥ sraṣṭā samiṣyate

Just as these arise in forward sequence, so their dissolution proceeds in reverse order. Beyond these five states just described, a higher Creator is to be recognized.

Verse 7 (shiva.vayaviya.9.7)

कलाभिः पञ्चभिर्व्याप्तं तस्माद्विश्वमिदं जगत् । अव्यक्तं कारणं यत्तदात्मना समनुष्ठितम्

kalābhiḥ pañcabhirvyāptaṁ tasmādviśvamidaṁ jagat | avyaktaṁ kāraṇaṁ yattadātmanā samanuṣṭhitam

By these five kalas this entire universe is pervaded. The unmanifest cause too is governed by Him, the Self.

Verse 8 (shiva.vayaviya.9.8)

महदादिविशेषान्तं सृजतीत्यपि सम्मतम् । किं तु तत्रापि कर्तृत्वं नाव्यक्तस्य न चात्मनः

mahadādiviśeṣāntaṁ sṛjatītyapi sammatam | kiṁ tu tatrāpi kartṛtvaṁ nāvyaktasya na cātmanaḥ

It is indeed accepted that creation proceeds -- from Mahat down to the specific gross elements -- through Prakriti; but even there, true agency belongs neither to the Unmanifest nor to the individual Self.

Verse 9 (shiva.vayaviya.9.9)

अचेतनत्वात्प्रकृतेरज्ञत्वात्पुरुषस्य च । प्रधानपरमाण्वादि यावत्किञ्चिदचेतनम्

acetanatvātprakṛterajñatvātpuruṣasya ca | pradhānaparamāṇvādi yāvatkiñcidacetanam

Because Prakriti is insentient, and Purusha lacks the knowledge of agency -- Pradhana, atoms, and whatever else is insentient cannot act as creator by itself.

Verse 10 (shiva.vayaviya.9.10)

तत्कर्तृकं स्वयं दृष्टं बुद्धिमत्कारणं विना । जगच्च कर्तृसापेक्षं कार्यं सावयवं यतः

tatkartṛkaṁ svayaṁ dṛṣṭaṁ buddhimatkāraṇaṁ vinā | jagacca kartṛsāpekṣaṁ kāryaṁ sāvayavaṁ yataḥ

For nothing effected is ever observed to have come about without an intelligent cause; and this universe, being a composite effect made of parts, necessarily depends upon an agent.

Verse 11 (shiva.vayaviya.9.11)

तस्माच्छक्तः स्वतन्त्रो यः सर्वशक्तिश्च सर्ववित् । अनादिनिधनश्चायं महदैश्वर्यसंयुतः

tasmācchaktaḥ svatantro yaḥ sarvaśaktiśca sarvavit | anādinidhanaścāyaṁ mahadaiśvaryasaṁyutaḥ

Therefore there exists one who is capable and independent, all-powerful and all-knowing; who is without beginning or end, endowed with supreme sovereignty.

Verse 12 (shiva.vayaviya.9.12)

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

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

He alone is the maker of the universe -- Mahadeva, Maheshvara; he alone is the preserver and destroyer of all, and is therefore distinct from it, unconnected with it.

Verse 13 (shiva.vayaviya.9.13)

परिणामः प्रधानस्य प्रवृत्तिः पुरुषस्य च । सर्वं सत्यव्रतस्यैव शासनेन प्रवर्तते

pariṇāmaḥ pradhānasya pravṛttiḥ puruṣasya ca | sarvaṁ satyavratasyaiva śāsanena pravartate

The transformation of Pradhana and the activity of Purusha -- all of this proceeds only by the governance of Him whose very vow is truth.

Verse 14 (shiva.vayaviya.9.14)

इतीयं शाश्वती निष्ठा सतां मनसि वर्तते । न चैनं पक्षमाश्रित्य वर्तते स्वल्पचेतनः

itīyaṁ śāśvatī niṣṭhā satāṁ manasi vartate | na cainaṁ pakṣamāśritya vartate svalpacetanaḥ

This eternal conviction ever abides in the minds of the virtuous; but one of little understanding does not remain established, taking refuge in this view.

Verse 15 (shiva.vayaviya.9.15)

यावदादिसमारम्भो यावद्यः प्रलयो महान् । तावदप्येति सकलं ब्रह्मणः शारदां शतम्

yāvadādisamārambho yāvadyaḥ pralayo mahān | tāvadapyeti sakalaṁ brahmaṇaḥ śāradāṁ śatam

From the very beginning of creation up to the great dissolution -- that entire span amounts to a hundred years, a hundred autumns, of Brahma.

Verse 16 (shiva.vayaviya.9.16)

परमित्यायुषो नाम ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । तत्पराख्यं तदर्द्धं च परार्धमभिधीयते

paramityāyuṣo nāma brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ | tatparākhyaṁ tadarddhaṁ ca parārdhamabhidhīyate

This is called Para -- the full lifespan of Brahma, who is born of the Unmanifest; and half of it is termed Parardha.

Verse 17 (shiva.vayaviya.9.17)

परार्द्धद्वयकालान्ते प्रलये समुपस्थिते । अव्यक्तमात्मनः कार्यमादायात्मनि तिष्ठति

parārddhadvayakālānte pralaye samupasthite | avyaktamātmanaḥ kāryamādāyātmani tiṣṭhati

At the close of the two Parardhas, when the dissolution has arrived, He withdraws the unmanifest effect that is His own into Himself and abides there.

Verse 18 (shiva.vayaviya.9.18)

आत्मन्यवस्थितेऽव्यक्ते विकारे प्रतिसंहृते । साधर्म्येणाधितिष्ठेते प्रधानपुरुषावुभौ

ātmanyavasthite'vyakte vikāre pratisaṁhṛte | sādharmyeṇādhitiṣṭhete pradhānapuruṣāvubhau

When the Unmanifest thus rests within the Self, its transformations withdrawn, then Prakriti and Purusha, both alike in nature, remain established in balance.

Verse 19 (shiva.vayaviya.9.19)

तमः सत्त्वगुणावेतौ समत्वेन व्यवस्थितौ । अनुद्रिक्तावनूनौ तावोतप्रोतौ परस्परम्

tamaḥ sattvaguṇāvetau samatvena vyavasthitau | anudriktāvanūnau tāvotaprotau parasparam

These two -- the qualities of Tamas and Sattva -- remain established in perfect balance, neither increased nor diminished, interwoven with one another.

Verse 20 (shiva.vayaviya.9.20)

गुणसाम्ये तदा तस्मिन्नविभागे तमोदये । शान्तवातैकनीरे च न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन

guṇasāmye tadā tasminnavibhāge tamodaye | śāntavātaikanīre ca na prājñāyata kiñcana

When the gunas were thus in equilibrium, undifferentiated, with Tamas predominant -- like a single expanse of still, windless water -- nothing whatsoever could be discerned.

Verse 21 (shiva.vayaviya.9.21)

अप्रज्ञाते जगत्यस्मिन्नेक एव महेश्वरः । उपास्य रजनीं कृत्स्नां परां माहेश्वरीं ततः

aprajñāte jagatyasminneka eva maheśvaraḥ | upāsya rajanīṁ kṛtsnāṁ parāṁ māheśvarīṁ tataḥ

When the world was thus unmanifest, Maheshvara alone remained. Having passed through that whole supreme night belonging to Maheshvara --

Verse 22 (shiva.vayaviya.9.22)

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां प्रधानपुरुषावुभौ । प्रविश्य क्षोभयामास मायायोगान्महेश्वरः

prabhātāyāṁ tu śarvaryāṁ pradhānapuruṣāvubhau | praviśya kṣobhayāmāsa māyāyogānmaheśvaraḥ

-- when that night had dawned, Maheshvara, entering into Prakriti and Purusha both through the power of Maya, stirred them into activity.

Verse 23 (shiva.vayaviya.9.23)

ततः पुनरशेषाणां भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययात् । अव्यक्तादभवत्सृष्टिराज्ञया परमेष्ठिनः

tataḥ punaraśeṣāṇāṁ bhūtānāṁ prabhavāpyayāt | avyaktādabhavatsṛṣṭirājñayā parameṣṭhinaḥ

Then, once more, by the command of the Supreme Lord, creation arose again from the Unmanifest, the source from which all beings arise and into which they dissolve.

Verse 24 (shiva.vayaviya.9.24)

विश्वोत्तरोत्तरविचित्रमनोरथस्य यस्यैकशक्तिशकले सकलः समाप्तः । आत्मानमध्वपतिमध्वविदो वदन्ति तस्मै नमः सकललोकविलक्षणाय

viśvottarottaravicitramanorathasya yasyaikaśaktiśakale sakalaḥ samāptaḥ | ātmānamadhvapatimadhvavido vadanti tasmai namaḥ sakalalokavilakṣaṇāya

To Him whose wondrous purposes unfold ever higher over the universe, in a mere fragment of whose single Shakti the entire creation finds its completion -- whom the knowers of the cosmic path call the Self, the Lord of the Path -- to Him, distinct from and beyond all the worlds, my salutation.