Shloka 22

प्रकृतितत्त्व-विचारः / Inquiry into Prakṛti (Nature/Śakti) and Śiva’s Transcendence

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्याः सांख्यशास्त्रोदितं शिवः । वेदांतमतसंस्थो हि वाक्यमूचे शिवां प्रति

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacastasyāḥ sāṃkhyaśāstroditaṃ śivaḥ | vedāṃtamatasaṃstho hi vākyamūce śivāṃ prati

Translation

Brahmā sprach: Nachdem er ihre Worte vernommen hatte, die im Sinne der Sāṅkhya‑Lehre vorgetragen waren, sprach Śiva, fest im Standpunkt des Vedānta gegründet, diese Worte zu Śivā (Pārvatī).

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kṛṇ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्) = 'having heard'

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; referring to Pārvatī/Śivā

• सांख्य-शास्त्र-उदितम्: stated in the Sāṃkhya treatise
• सांख्य-शास्त्र-उदितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāṃkhya + śāstra + √ud (धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; multi-member तत्पुरुष; 'uttered/propounded in the Sāṃkhya-śāstra' (क्त participle) qualifying 'vacaḥ'

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• वेदान्त-मत-संस्थः: established in Vedānta doctrine
• वेदान्त-मत-संस्थः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vedānta + mata + saṃstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; multi-member तत्पुरुष = 'established in the Vedānta doctrine' qualifying 'śivaḥ'

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) = 'indeed/for'

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ऊचे: spoke
• ऊचे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• शिवाम्: Śivā (Pārvatī)
• शिवाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Prati (प्रति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Prepositional indeclinable (उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय) governing accusative = 'towards/to'

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It signals a transition from analytical, category-based reasoning (Sāṅkhya) to Śiva’s higher, liberating standpoint of Vedānta—implying that final clarity arises when knowledge culminates in the Supreme Reality, fulfilled by Śiva’s grace.

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

By establishing Śiva as the authoritative teacher grounded in the highest truth, the verse frames Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) as a valid, grace-filled path that ripens into realization of the Supreme beyond limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to pair inquiry with devotion: listen (śravaṇa) to Śiva’s teaching and steady the mind in contemplative remembrance of Śiva—practically supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and focused meditation on Śiva as the inner Lord.