Shloka 20

तपसो महिमा

The Greatness and Typology of Tapas

Devanagari script

रेचकः पूरकः कुम्भः प्राणायामस्त्रिधा स्मृतः । नाडीसंचारविज्ञानं प्रत्याहारनिरोधनम्

Transliteration

recakaḥ pūrakaḥ kumbhaḥ prāṇāyāmastridhā smṛtaḥ | nāḍīsaṃcāravijñānaṃ pratyāhāranirodhanam

Translation

Prāṇāyāma wird als dreifach überliefert: recaka (Ausatmung), pūraka (Einatmung) und kumbhaka (Atemverhaltung). Dazu gehören das Wissen, den Strom durch die nāḍīs zu lenken, sowie die Zügelung der Sinne durch Rückzug (pratyāhāra) und Beherrschung (nirodha).

Word by Word

• इति: thus; end-quote marker
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—श्रीशिवमहापुराण (determinative title-compound)

• पञ्चम्याम्: in the fifth (book)
• पञ्चम्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• उमा-संहितायाम्: in the Umāsaṃhitā
• उमा-संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—उमासंहिता (genitive/determinative)

• मनु-विशेष-कथनम्: the narration of the special (account) of Manu
• मनु-विशेष-कथनम्: Karta (कर्ता) / Vishaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—मनुविशेषकथन (determinative)

• नाम: named; called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निपातः (designation marker: “called/named”)

• विंशः: twentieth
• विंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (20th)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon verse; no sthala narrative.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames breath-discipline and sense-restraint as essential inner aids for turning awareness toward Shiva (Pati). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, such yogic control helps loosen pāśa (bondage) so the soul (paśu) can become fit for Shiva’s grace and steady contemplation.

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

Prāṇāyāma and pratyāhāra prepare the mind to remain one-pointed in Saguna worship—such as Linga-dhyāna and japa—by reducing distraction and stabilizing attention, making external ritual and internal meditation support each other.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative practice of prāṇāyāma (recaka–pūraka–kumbhaka) combined with awareness of nāḍī-flow and pratyāhāra (withdrawing the senses), used to steady the mind for mantra-japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī) and Shiva-dhyāna.