Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अगुणं ब्रह्मणो रूपं शिवस्य परमात्मनः । तत्कथं हि विजानन्ति त्वादृशास्तद्बहिर्मुखाः

Transliteration

aguṇaṃ brahmaṇo rūpaṃ śivasya paramātmanaḥ | tatkathaṃ hi vijānanti tvādṛśāstadbahirmukhāḥ

Translation

Śiva, das höchste Selbst, hat die Natur des Brahman ohne Eigenschaften (nirguṇa), jenseits aller guṇa. Wie könnten dann Menschen wie du, nach außen gewandt und von Jenem abgewandt, Ihn wahrhaft erkennen?

Word by Word

• a-guṇam: quality-less; attributeless
• a-guṇam: Karma (कर्म/object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्-समास: ‘without qualities’

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahman
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• paramātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (आत्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; समासः: परमात्मन् (कर्मधारय)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; demonstrative pronoun referring to the attributeless form

• katham: how?
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, interrogative adverb

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic/causal particle (निपात)

• vijānanti: they know; they understand
• vijānanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• tvādṛśāḥ: people like you
• tvādṛśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; ‘like you’ (2nd-person-based pronominal adjective used substantively)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; refers back to ‘that (truth/form)’

• bahir-mukhāḥ: outward-turned
• bahir-mukhāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahis (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; बहुव्रीहि: ‘बहिर्मुखं यस्य सः’ = outward-facing

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Centers the need for inward-turning (antarmukhatā) for knowing nirguṇa Śiva; supports the Siddhānta emphasis that true knowledge arises through Śiva’s grace and right orientation, not mere externality.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahman
• Paramatman

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s highest reality is nirguṇa (beyond the three guṇas), and that true knowledge of Him arises through inward realization rather than external, sense-bound outlook.

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

While Śiva is ultimately nirguṇa Brahman, devotees approach Him through saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga; sincere worship purifies the mind so one can recognize the nirguṇa truth the liṅga signifies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Turn inward through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with focused meditation; such practice shifts attention from outward distractions toward direct awareness of Śiva as the indwelling Paramātman.