Shloka 23

Sūtasya Punargamanaṃ Kāśyāṃ—Bhasma-Rudrākṣa-Tripuṇḍra-Vidhiśca

Sūta’s Return to Kāśī and the Observances of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

ज्ञानप्रसूनकलिकां समर्च्य हि जगत्प्रसूम् । श्रीमत्पंचाक्षरीं विद्यामष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम्

Transliteration

jñānaprasūnakalikāṃ samarcya hi jagatprasūm | śrīmatpaṃcākṣarīṃ vidyāmaṣṭottarasahasrakam

Translation

Having duly worshipped the bud of the flower of spiritual knowledge—the Pañcākṣarī Vidyā, the auspicious Mother who brings forth the whole universe—one should recite it one hundred and eight thousand times.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानप्रसूनकलिकाम्: the bud of the flower of knowledge
• ज्ञानप्रसूनकलिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + प्रसून + कलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानरूपं प्रसूनं, तस्य कलिका)

• समर्च्य: having worshipped
• समर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु) → समर्च्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष (gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having duly worshipped)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• जगत्प्रसूम्: the mother of the world
• जगत्प्रसूम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + प्रसू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जगतः प्रसूः/जननी)

• श्रीमत्: auspicious, venerable
• श्रीमत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘पञ्चाक्षरीम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पञ्चाक्षरीम्: the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षरिन्/अक्षरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च अक्षराणि यस्याः सा)

• विद्याम्: mantric knowledge/vidyā
• विद्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• अष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम्: (in number) one thousand and eight (1008)
• अष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर + सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टोत्तरं सहस्रम् = 1008, तदात्मकम्)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching in the Kailasha Saṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Centers the Pañcākṣarī as a jñāna-generating vidyā leading to Śiva’s grace; aligns with Siddhānta praxis where mantra-japa and proper worship mature the soul toward liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (namaḥ śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents the Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as the seed-bud of liberating knowledge and prescribes disciplined japa (108,000 repetitions) as a Shaiva Siddhanta-aligned means to purify the paśu (bound soul) and turn it toward Pati (Shiva).

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

The Pañcākṣarī is a Saguna approach to Shiva—worship through name and mantra—often performed alongside Liṅga-pūjā; the mantra is treated as Shiva’s living presence that matures devotion into inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Worship the Pañcākṣarī as a sacred Vidyā and undertake japa of 108,000 repetitions with steadiness; it may be supported by typical Shaiva aids like rudrākṣa mala and vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as part of regular sādhanā.