Shloka 21

भस्म–रुद्राक्ष–शिवनाममाहात्म्य

The Greatness of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Name of Śiva

Devanagari script

कस्तत्त्रितयमाहात्म्यं संजानाति द्विजोत्तमाः । महेश्वरं विना सर्वं ब्रह्माण्डे सदसत्परम्

Transliteration

kastattritayamāhātmyaṃ saṃjānāti dvijottamāḥ | maheśvaraṃ vinā sarvaṃ brahmāṇḍe sadasatparam

Translation

O ihr Besten der Zweimalgeborenen, wer vermag wahrhaft die Größe jener Dreiheit zu erkennen? Denn in diesem ganzen Kosmos ist, außer Maheśvara, alles nur das höchste Spiel von Wirklichem und Unwirklichem—abhängig, nicht letztgültig.

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• तत्-त्रितयम्: that triad/threefold set
• तत्-त्रितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• आहात्म्यम्: the greatness/glory
• आहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• सं-जानाति: knows/understands
• सं-जानाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + सम्- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विज-उत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विज-उत्तमाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (address)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विना-योगे (object of vinā)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (preposition) governing द्वितीया

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject)

• ब्रह्माण्डे: in the universe (cosmic egg)
• ब्रह्माण्डे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• सत्-असत्-परम्: beyond being and non-being
• सत्-असत्-परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + असत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सर्वम्); द्वन्द्व-समास (sat and asat) + पर (beyond)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The verse asserts Maheśvara’s absolute supremacy: without Him, all within the brahmāṇḍa is a dependent mixture of sat/asat. In Kāśī’s Viśvanātha theology, Śiva alone is svatantra (independent) and the final refuge; all other realities are contingent and instrumental.

Significance: Directs the pilgrim’s focus from cosmic marvels to the independent Lord; encourages surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Śiva as the only ultimate who can grant true knowledge and liberation.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: brahmāṇḍa (cosmic totality) invoked as the field of contingent sat/asat; implicit contrast with the transcendent Lord beyond cosmic cycles.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the highest truths and cosmic categories cannot be fully grasped by intellect alone; only Maheśvara (Pati, the independent Lord) is ultimate, while everything else in the universe is dependent and therefore not final reality.

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

By declaring Maheśvara as the sole independent reality, the verse supports Linga-worship as a concrete focus for devotion to the Supreme—Saguna worship leading the devotee toward recognition of Shiva as the ground of all categories.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as the substratum of all experience while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namah Shivaya), cultivating detachment from what is merely sat-asat in the cosmos and anchoring the mind in Maheśvara.