Shloka 18

व्यासशौनकादिसंवादः | Vyāsa–Śaunaka and the Sages: Opening Dialogue of the Kailāsa-saṃhitā

Devanagari script

त्वन्मुखाब्जपरिस्यन्दन्मकरंदे मनोहरम् । प्रणवार्थामृतं पीत्वा भविष्यामो गतज्वराः

Transliteration

tvanmukhābjaparisyandanmakaraṃde manoharam | praṇavārthāmṛtaṃ pītvā bhaviṣyāmo gatajvarāḥ

Translation

Having drunk the nectar of the meaning of the Praṇava (Oṁ)—sweet and captivating like the honey that flows from the lotus of Your mouth—we shall be free from fever, our inner torment wholly stilled.

Word by Word

• tvat-mukha-abja-parisyandat-makarande: in the nectar (pollen) flowing from your lotus-face
• tvat-mukha-abja-parisyandat-makarande: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक, षष्ठी-एकवचनार्थे) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + abja (प्रातिपदिक) + parisyandat (प्रातिपदिक; परि+स्यन्द्-धातोः शतृ) + makaranda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: (त्वन्मुखाब्जात् परिस्यन्दन् मकरन्दः) तस्मिन्; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त "parisyandat" (present participle) समासाङ्ग

• manoharam: delightful
• manoharam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manohara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (मकरन्दस्य)

• praṇava-artha-amṛtam: the nectar of the meaning of Praṇava
• praṇava-artha-amṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रणवस्य अर्थः) + कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (अर्थरूपम् अमृतम्)

• pītvā: having drunk
• pītvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धाातु; पा/पिब्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), "having drunk"

• bhaviṣyāmaḥ: we shall become
• bhaviṣyāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• gata-jvarāḥ: (we) whose fever has gone; free from fever
• gata-jvarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (प्रातिपदिक; गम्-धातोः क्त) + jvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (गतः ज्वरो येषाम्)

Speaker

Devotees/sages addressing Lord Shiva (within the Kailāsa discourse, praising Shiva’s teaching as liberating nectar)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes śravaṇa of Śiva-upadeśa as ‘amṛta’ that cures saṃsāric ‘jvara’ (tāpa-traya). Pilgrimage benefit is inner cooling—śānti through guru-vākya and praṇava-artha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava) — its artha as amṛta

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Om (Praṇava)

FAQs

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

It portrays Shiva’s upadeśa (spiritual instruction) as amṛta—liberating knowledge received through grace—where realizing the meaning of Praṇava (Oṁ) removes the ‘fever’ of saṁsāra, i.e., inner anguish, ignorance, and bondage.

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

Even when worship is Saguna—approaching Shiva as the compassionate Lord who speaks—the verse points to the inner fruit: mantra-jñāna (Praṇava’s meaning) that leads the devotee from form-based devotion toward realization of Shiva as Pati, the liberating Consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Praṇava (Oṁ) and contemplate its meaning while performing Shiva-bhakti—japa with steady attention (manas), treating Shiva’s teaching as ‘nectar’ that cools and removes the burning afflictions of the mind.