Shloka 38

Śiva-Śakti Tattva, Varṇa-Rahasya, and Mahāvākya-Bhāvanā

Interpretive Discipline

Devanagari script

पञ्च ब्रह्माणि विन्यस्य शिरः पादावसानकम् । मुण्डवत्क्रकलाभेदैः प्रणवस्य कला अपि

Transliteration

pañca brahmāṇi vinyasya śiraḥ pādāvasānakam | muṇḍavatkrakalābhedaiḥ praṇavasya kalā api

Translation

Nachdem man durch Nyāsa die fünf Brahmas vom Scheitel bis zu den Füßen eingesetzt und ebenso die feinen Teile des Pranava (Oṁ) — in Abschnitte gegliedert wie Gelenke und Körpersegmente —, soll man den Herrn betrachten, der die ganze Gestalt durchdringt, als den innerlich wohnenden Śiva.

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्दः; ब्रह्माणि इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• ब्रह्माणि: Brahma-forms / brahmans
• ब्रह्माणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• विन्यस्य: having placed
• विन्यस्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) / विन्यस् (धात्वादेश)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having placed/arranged’

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• पाद-अवसानकम्: ending at the feet
• पाद-अवसानकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अवसानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (pāda-avasāna: ending at the feet)

• मुण्डवत्: like a skull
• मुण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative adverb: like a skull)

• क्र-कलाभेदैः: by the divisions of (kra-)kalās
• क्र-कलाभेदैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कला (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (kalā-bheda: divisions/segments; with ‘kra’ as qualifier per tradition)

• प्रणवस्य: of the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• कलाः: parts/kalās
• कलाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shaiva ritual-philosophical teaching as preserved in the Kailasa Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: praṇava (oṃ)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches internal worship: by installing the Pañcabrahma aspects and the subtle parts of Oṁ throughout the body, the devotee realizes Śiva as the indwelling Lord (Pati) pervading all limbs, turning the body into a sacred field of meditation.

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

Nyāsa links external Linga-pūjā to inner Linga contemplation: Saguna forms (the five Brahmas) are ritually placed in the body, while Oṁ points to the subtler presence of Śiva, harmonizing form-based devotion with inward realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pañcabrahma-nyāsa from head to feet along with pranava-kalā contemplation—mentally placing mantra-power in bodily locations and meditating on Śiva’s presence in every segment of the body.