Shloka 59

प्रणवमहिमा — The Greatness of the Praṇava (Om) as Śiva

Devanagari script

गुरोः समीपं गत्वाथ दण्डवत्प्रणमेत्त्रयम् । समुत्थाय ततस्तिष्ठेद्गुरुपादसमीपतः

Transliteration

guroḥ samīpaṃ gatvātha daṇḍavatpraṇamettrayam | samutthāya tatastiṣṭhedgurupādasamīpataḥ

Translation

গুৰুৰ ওচৰলৈ গৈ দণ্ডৱৎ প্ৰণাম তিনিবাৰ কৰিব; তাৰ পিছত উঠি গুৰুপাদৰ সন্নিকটে থিয় হ’ব।

Word by Word

• guroḥ: of the guru
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• samīpam: near (to the presence)
• samīpam: Karma/Gati (कर्म/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as goal

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having gone

• atha: then
• atha: Anantarya (अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; sequential particle (अनन्तरार्थक)

• daṇḍavat: like a staff (prostrating fully)
• daṇḍavat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daṇḍavat (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb (रीत्यर्थक): 'like a staff'

• praṇamet: should bow/prostrate
• praṇamet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ṇam (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• trayam: three times / a triad
• trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; numeral used as object

• samutthāya: having stood up
• samutthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ut-thā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having risen

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of sequence

• tiṣṭhet: should stand
• tiṣṭhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• guru-pāda-samīpataḥ: near the guru's feet
• guru-pāda-samīpataḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + samīpatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; ablatival adverb (तसिल्): 'from/at the vicinity of the guru's feet'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches vinaya (humility) and śaraṇāgati (surrender): the seeker approaches the Guru with total reverence, which purifies ego—the primary pasha (bond) obstructing Shiva-realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, the Guru transmits right understanding and method for Linga/Saguna Shiva worship; honoring the Guru’s feet is honoring the channel through which Shiva’s grace and correct ritual-jñāna flow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A concrete practice is daṇḍavat praṇāma with focused remembrance of Shiva and then standing attentively near the Guru for instruction—an inner discipline that supports mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara) and regulated worship.