Shloka 17

Sūtasya Punargamanaṃ Kāśyāṃ—Bhasma-Rudrākṣa-Tripuṇḍra-Vidhiśca

Sūta’s Return to Kāśī and the Observances of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

यदाहमुपदिश्याथ भवतः प्रणवार्थकम् । गतस्तीर्थाटनार्थाय तद्वृत्तान्तम्ब्रवीमि वः

Transliteration

yadāhamupadiśyātha bhavataḥ praṇavārthakam | gatastīrthāṭanārthāya tadvṛttāntambravīmi vaḥ

Translation

Nachdem ich euch die Bedeutung des Praṇava (Oṁ) gelehrt hatte, brach ich auf, um die heiligen Tīrthas zu besuchen. Nun will ich euch berichten, was sich danach ereignete.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Temporal connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb/conjunction: 'when')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थक; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपदिश्य: having instructed/taught
• उपदिश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+दिश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• भवतः: of you (hon.)
• भवतः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम (honorific pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रणव-अर्थकम्: having the meaning of the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-अर्थकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) उपदेश्य-वस्तुनः (object taught)

• गतः: (I) went
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• तीर्थ-अटन-अर्थाय: for the purpose of pilgrimage/travel to tīrthas
• तीर्थ-अटन-अर्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary-Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अटन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थक-चतुर्थी (dative of purpose)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) वृत्तान्तम्-शब्दस्य

• वृत्तान्तम्: account/narrative
• वृत्तान्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्तान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रवीमि: I tell/speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वः: to you (pl.)
• वः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th or Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); अत्र चतुर्थी (to you all)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Sanatkumāra, having taught the praṇava-artha (Oṃ as Śiva-tattva), transitions to a tīrtha-yātrā narrative, framing pilgrimage as an extension of śiva-jñāna into lived sādhana.

Significance: Positions Oṃ-jñāna as the inner tīrtha; outer tīrtha-visit becomes efficacious when grounded in right understanding (jñāna) and devotion (bhakti).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava)

Type: gayatri

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Om (Praṇava)

FAQs

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

It links inner realization (understanding the Praṇava, Oṁ—pointing to Pati, Śiva) with outer sacred discipline (tīrtha-yātrā), showing that knowledge and purifying conduct together mature the seeker toward liberation.

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

By emphasizing the Praṇava’s meaning, the verse implies that Saguna worship (such as Liṅga-upāsanā) is grounded in the mantra-principle of Oṁ; the symbol and the sound both orient the mind toward Śiva as the supreme Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Praṇava-japa with contemplation of its meaning, supported by tīrtha-smaraṇa or pilgrimage as a purificatory practice—preparing the mind for steady Shaiva meditation.