Shloka 23

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

त्रैवर्णिकानां सर्व्वेषां स्वस्वाश्रमरतात्मनाम् । श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितो धर्मोऽनुष्ठेयो नापरः क्वचित्

Transliteration

traivarṇikānāṃ sarvveṣāṃ svasvāśramaratātmanām | śrutismṛtyudito dharmo'nuṣṭheyo nāparaḥ kvacit

Translation

For all the twice-born of the three varṇas, devoted to their respective āśramas, the dharma taught in Śruti and Smṛti alone is to be practiced—never any other, at any time.

Word by Word

• trai-varṇikānām: of the three varṇas
• trai-varṇikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + varṇika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of all)

• sva-sva-āśrama-rata-ātmanām: of those whose minds are devoted to their respective āśramas
• sva-sva-āśrama-rata-ātmanām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + sva (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (स्वस्वाश्रमे रतः आत्मा येषां ते), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• śruti-smṛti-uditaḥ: enjoined in śruti and smṛti
• śruti-smṛti-uditaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + smṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + udita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद-तत्पुरुष (श्रुतिः च स्मृतिः—ताभ्याम् उदितः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• dharmaḥ: dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• anuṣṭheyaḥ: to be practiced/performed
• anuṣṭheyaḥ: Pradhāna (प्रधान/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-ṣṭhā (धातु) → anuṣṭheya (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be performed), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• aparaḥ: other (another)
• aparaḥ: Pradhāna (प्रधान/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (no other)

• kvacit: anywhere / ever
• kvacit: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: anywhere/ever)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasha Samhita teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It grounds Shaiva life in śāstra: devotion to Shiva is not lawless or arbitrary; it is purified and made fit for grace (anugraha) when one follows one’s āśrama-dharma as taught by Śruti and Smṛti.

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

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship is to be performed in harmony with Vedic-Smṛti rules—daily duties, purity, and prescribed observances—so that worship becomes a disciplined upāya (means) aligned with dharma rather than personal invention.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow authorized practices: perform Shiva-pūjā and japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī) with śāstric discipline, along with customary Shaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where prescribed by tradition.