Shloka 23

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

इति स्तुत्वा महादेवं प्रणवात्मानमव्ययम् । दत्त्वा पराङ्मुखाद्यञ्च पश्चादीशानमस्तके

Transliteration

iti stutvā mahādevaṃ praṇavātmānamavyayam | dattvā parāṅmukhādyañca paścādīśānamastake

Translation

So pries er Mahādeva — den Unvergänglichen, dessen Wesen der Praṇava (Oṁ) ist. Dann setzte er die Verehrung/Einsetzung beginnend beim nach Westen gewandten Aspekt und danach auf dem Scheitel als Īśāna (der herrscherliche Aspekt nach Norden/oben).

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक particle

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having praised’

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रणवात्मानम्: whose essence is Om
• प्रणवात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म; समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: प्रणवः आत्मा यस्य (whose essence is praṇava/Om)

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; महादेवम् इति विशेषण (imperishable)

• दत्त्वा: having placed/given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having given/placing’

• पराङ्मुखात्: from the rear/back side
• पराङ्मुखात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: पराङ् मुखं यस्य (turned away/backward-facing); here ablative ‘from the rear/back side’

• अद्य: now/today
• अद्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक adverb (‘today/now’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक conjunction

• पश्चात्: behind/afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; देश/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक adverb (‘behind/afterwards’)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (a form/direction of Śiva)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative: ‘on the head’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: praṇava (Oṃ) implied by ‘praṇavātmānam’

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahadeva
• Pranava (Om)
• Ishana

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as the imperishable Reality whose essence is Oṁ (Pranava), indicating that devotion (stuti) culminates in recognizing Pati (the Lord) as the transcendent ground of all directions, forms, and consciousness.

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

By mentioning directional/aspect-based placement (culminating in Īśāna), the verse reflects saguna worship—honoring Śiva through ordered ritual orientation—while grounding it in nirguna truth by calling him Pranava-ātmā (Oṁ as his essence).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests structured worship after praise: orienting one’s offering/nyāsa or reverence through directional aspects and finally contemplating Īśāna at the crown (mastaka), aligning awareness upward in meditation on Oṁ and Śiva.