Shloka 32

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

सर्व्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञं वेदांतज्ञानपारगम् । आचार्य्यमुपगच्छेत्स यतिर्म्मतिमतां वरम्

Transliteration

sarvvaśāstrārthatattvajñaṃ vedāṃtajñānapāragam | ācāryyamupagacchetsa yatirmmatimatāṃ varam

Translation

Jener weise Entsagende soll sich einem wahren Ācārya nähern—dem Besten unter den Unterscheidungskräftigen—der die wesentliche Wahrheit der Bedeutungen aller Śāstras kennt und die Meisterschaft im Wissen des Vedānta vollständig erlangt hat.

Word by Word

• सर्व-शास्त्र-अर्थ-तत्त्व-ज्ञम्: one who knows the truth of the meanings of all scriptures
• सर्व-शास्त्र-अर्थ-तत्त्व-ज्ञम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'knower of the truth/meaning of all śāstras'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेदान्त-ज्ञान-पारगम्: one well-versed in Vedānta knowledge
• वेदान्त-ज्ञान-पारगम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('one who has gone to the far shore of Vedānta-knowledge'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आचार्यम्: a teacher (ācārya)
• आचार्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपगच्छेत्: should approach
• उपगच्छेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/Potential), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यतिः: an ascetic
• यतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मतिमताम्: of the intelligent (people)
• मतिमताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (collective), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वरम्: the best
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (as appositional object)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s higher teaching as preserved in the Kailasa Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

FAQs

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

It establishes guru-śaraṇāgati (approaching a realized teacher) as essential for liberation: the renunciate must seek an ācārya who knows the inner tattva of scripture, not merely its words.

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

In Shaiva practice, the ācārya transmits correct understanding of Saguna worship (Linga, mantra, pūjā) while guiding the seeker toward the ultimate realization of Shiva as Pati beyond bondage—so worship becomes a means to inner awakening, not mere ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct instruction is to seek initiation and guidance from an ācārya; under that guidance, one typically adopts disciplined japa (especially the Panchakshara), dhyāna, and Shaiva observances in a scripture-aligned way.