Shloka 25

Vāmadeva-mata: Rahasya-upadeśa

The Esoteric Teaching of Vāmadeva’s Doctrine

Devanagari script

अणोरणीयसे तुभ्यं महतोपि महीयसे । नमः परावरज्ञाय परमात्मस्वरूपिणे

Transliteration

aṇoraṇīyase tubhyaṃ mahatopi mahīyase | namaḥ parāvarajñāya paramātmasvarūpiṇe

Translation

Verehrung Dir — feiner als das Feinste und doch größer als das Größte. Ehrerbietung dem Kenner des Höheren und des Niederen, Ihm, dessen Wesen der Paramātman, das höchste Selbst, ist.

Word by Word

• aṇoḥ: than an atom (of the minute)
• aṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• aṇīyase: to the more minute
• aṇīyase: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṇīyas (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित/तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) ‘more minute’

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• mahataḥ: than the great
• mahataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• api: even/also
• api: Avyaya-function (अव्ययार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• mahīyase: to the greater
• mahīyase: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahīyas (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित/तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) ‘greater’

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोगः; नमस्कारार्थक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• parāvara-jñāya: to the knower of the higher and the lower
• parāvara-jñāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + avara (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (पर + अवर) तत्पश्चात् तत्पुरुष/उपपद: परावरं जानाति इति; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• parama-ātma-svarūpiṇe: to the one whose nature is the Supreme Self
• parama-ātma-svarūpiṇe: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (परमात्मनः स्वरूपः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; ‘-in’ प्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasha Samhita discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: अणोरणीयसे तुभ्यं महतोपि महीयसे । नमः परावरज्ञाय परमात्मस्वरूपिणे

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It proclaims Shiva as both transcendent and immanent—beyond all measure (subtler than the subtlest) yet all-pervading (greater than the greatest). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it points to Pati (Shiva) as the supreme consciousness who alone knows and governs both the higher (para) and lower (apara) orders, granting liberation by removing pasha (bondage).

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

The Linga is worshiped as the sign of the formless (nirguna) Supreme who is nevertheless present in form (saguna) for devotees. This verse supports that unity: Shiva is beyond limitation, yet accessible—hence Linga worship becomes a concrete gateway to realizing the Paramatman-nature of Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the all-pervading Paramatman while repeating the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with bhakti; internalize the sense that He is both within the smallest (the heart) and beyond the greatest (the cosmos). If following Shiva Purana practice, support japa with Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as aids to steadiness and devotion.