Shloka 20

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

मन्त्रादिषड्विधार्थानामर्थोपन्याससार्गतः । समष्टिव्यष्टिभावार्थं वक्ष्यामि प्रणवात्मकम्

Transliteration

mantrādiṣaḍvidhārthānāmarthopanyāsasārgataḥ | samaṣṭivyaṣṭibhāvārthaṃ vakṣyāmi praṇavātmakam

Translation

Drawing upon the essential purport of the presented meanings of the sixfold categories beginning with mantra, I shall now explain the Pranava (Oṁ) as embodying the meaning of both the collective (cosmic totality) and the individual (particular being).

Word by Word

• mantra-ādi-ṣaḍ-vidha-arthānām: of the sixfold meanings beginning with mantra
• mantra-ādi-ṣaḍ-vidha-arthānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ṣaṭ (संख्या) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Bahuvacana (Plural); tatpuruṣa: ṣaḍvidhāḥ arthāḥ (sixfold meanings) beginning with mantra

• artha-upanyāsa-sāra-gataḥ: based on the essence of the exposition of meaning
• artha-upanyāsa-sāra-gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + upanyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त; √gam, PPP)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: upanyāsasya sāraḥ (essence of exposition) of artha; gataḥ = ‘gone to/grounded in’ → ‘based on’

• samaṣṭi-vyaṣṭi-bhāva-artham: the meaning of the collective and individual state
• samaṣṭi-vyaṣṭi-bhāva-artham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + vyaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; dvandva (samaṣṭi-vyaṣṭi) + tatpuruṣa with bhāva-artha: ‘the meaning of the collective-and-individual state’

• vakṣyāmi: I shall explain
• vakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ? (not); Luṭ/Lṛṭ (Simple Future/लृट्), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana (Singular); parasmaipada

• praṇava-ātmakam: having praṇava (Oṃ) as its essence
• praṇava-ātmakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: praṇavasya ātmā (essence) yasya

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

The verse frames Oṁ (Pranava) as a complete spiritual key: it reveals both the cosmic totality (samaṣṭi) and the individual soul’s standpoint (vyaṣṭi), guiding the seeker from doctrinal understanding of mantra toward inner realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.

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

In Shaiva practice, Pranava is the seed-sound that supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-puja) while pointing beyond form to Shiva’s all-pervading lordship; thus ritual worship becomes a doorway to the subtler, all-inclusive meaning of Oṁ.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is Pranava-japa and contemplation: chant Oṁ with focused awareness, reflecting on its samaṣṭi (universal Shiva-tattva) and vyaṣṭi (the individual soul seeking liberation) meanings, ideally as a preparatory limb for deeper mantra-sadhana such as Panchakshara.