Shloka 48

Praṇava-Māhātmya and the Twofold Mantra (Sūkṣma–Sthūla) in Śaiva Sādhanā

Devanagari script

होमान्ते दक्षिणा देया गुरोर्गोमिथुनं तथा । ईशानादिस्वरूपांस्तान्गुरुं सांबं विभाव्य च

Transliteration

homānte dakṣiṇā deyā gurorgomithunaṃ tathā | īśānādisvarūpāṃstānguruṃ sāṃbaṃ vibhāvya ca

Translation

Am Ende des homa ist dem Guru die vorgeschriebene dakṣiṇā darzubringen, ebenso auch ein Kuhpaar. Dabei soll man in kontemplativer Schau den Guru als Verkörperung der Gestalten beginnend mit Īśāna erkennen und als Śiva zusammen mit Ambā.

Word by Word

• homa-ante: at the end of the homa
• homa-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: 'at the end of the homa'

• dakṣiṇā: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• deyā: should be given
• deyā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (तव्यत्/यत्; here -य), Feminine, Nominative, Singular agreeing with dakṣiṇā; sense: 'is to be given/should be given'

• guroḥ: to the guru/of the guru
• guroḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• go-mithunam: a pair of cows (a cow-couple)
• go-mithunam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + mithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: 'cow' + 'pair/couple'

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (तथार्थक अव्यय)

• īśāna-ādi-svarūpān: having forms such as Īśāna etc.
• īśāna-ādi-svarūpān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; Tatpuruṣa: 'having forms beginning with Īśāna' (īśāna etc.)

• tān: those (them)
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; pronoun

• gurum: the guru
• gurum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• sāmbam: Sāmbam (Śiva with Umā)
• sāmbam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + amba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: 'with Ambā (Pārvatī)' i.e., 'Sāmbā' (with Umā)

• vibhāvya: having contemplated/visualized
• vibhāvya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√bhū/√bhāv (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त/क्त्वार्थ), 'having contemplated/considered'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s ritual principles to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Ambā/Umā)
• Guru
• Īśāna

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is completed not merely by ritual fire-offering, but by humility and gratitude—offering dakṣiṇā to the Guru while inwardly realizing the Guru as the living conduit of Śiva-Śakti (Pati) who grants right knowledge and liberation.

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

It aligns Saguna worship with living embodiment: the devotee venerates the Guru as a manifestation of Śiva’s Īśāna and other aspects, making the Guru-centered discipline part of Linga-oriented Shaiva practice rather than a separate obligation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

After homa, offer appropriate guru-dakṣiṇā (traditionally even a pair of cows, according to capacity and dharma) and meditate that the Guru embodies Īśāna and the other divine aspects—Śiva united with Śakti—before concluding the rite.