Shloka 77

न्यासवर्णनम् (Nyāsa-varṇanam) — Description of Nyāsa in the Saṃnyāsa Procedure

Devanagari script

इत्थं प्रणवविन्यासं कृत्वा न्यासविचक्षणः । हंसन्यासं प्रकुर्वीत परमात्मविबोधिनि

Transliteration

itthaṃ praṇavavinyāsaṃ kṛtvā nyāsavicakṣaṇaḥ | haṃsanyāsaṃ prakurvīta paramātmavibodhini

Translation

So soll der in Nyāsa kundige Übende, nachdem er die Nyāsa-Setzung des Praṇava (Oṃ) vollzogen hat, anschließend die Haṃsa-Nyāsa ausführen—eine Übung, die die unmittelbare Verwirklichung des Paramātman, des höchsten Selbst, erweckt.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• प्रणव-विन्यासम्: the arrangement/placement of the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-विन्यासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + vinyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रणवस्य विन्यासः)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• न्यास-विचक्षणः: one skilled in nyāsa
• न्यास-विचक्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (न्यासे विचक्षणः)

• हंस-न्यासम्: the haṃsa-nyāsa
• हंस-न्यासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हंसस्य न्यासः)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Vidhi-kriyā (विधेयक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमात्म-विबोधिनि: in (the practice/teaching) that awakens knowledge of the Supreme Self
• परमात्म-विबोधिनि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama-ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + vibodhinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परमात्मनः विबोधिनी)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (instructor in the Kailasa Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: haṃsa (so’ham)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches an inner (adhyātmika) method of worship: after establishing Oṃ through nyāsa, the seeker performs Haṃsa-nyāsa to awaken Paramātman-realization—aligning devotion to Shiva with direct yogic insight.

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

It complements external Linga worship by internalizing it: Pranava-nyāsa sanctifies the body as Shiva’s field, and Haṃsa-nyāsa turns attention inward so Saguna worship matures into awareness of Shiva as the indwelling Pati (Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Pranava (Oṃ) nyāsa first, then Haṃsa-nyāsa—often linked with mindful breath contemplation of the haṃsa/so’ham current—used as a Shaiva meditative discipline for purification and liberation.