Shloka 27

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

एवं ऋणत्रयान्मुक्तो वानप्रस्थाश्रमं गतः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखादिसहिष्णुर्विजितेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

evaṃ ṛṇatrayānmukto vānaprasthāśramaṃ gataḥ | śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhādisahiṣṇurvijitendriyaḥ

Translation

Thus, freed from the three debts, he enters the stage of life called vānaprastha. Enduring heat and cold, pleasure and pain, and the like, he becomes self-restrained, with the senses brought under control.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• ऋणत्रयात्: from the three debts
• ऋणत्रयात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रयाणि ऋणानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन

• मुक्तः: freed
• मुक्तः: कर्तृविशेषण (Agent-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वानप्रस्थाश्रमम्: the vānaprastha stage (forest-dweller’s āśrama)
• वानप्रस्थाश्रमम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (वानप्रस्थस्य आश्रमः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतः: having gone/entered
• गतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तः/प्रविष्टः’

• शीतोष्णसुखदुःखादि-सहिष्णुः: enduring cold, heat, pleasure, pain, etc.
• शीतोष्णसुखदुःखादि-सहिष्णुः: कर्तृविशेषण (Agent-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + सहिष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (शीत-उष्ण-सुख-दुःख-आदि सहते इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सहिष्णु’ = सह्-धातोः ष्णु-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• विजितेन्द्रियः: one whose senses are conquered (self-controlled)
• विजितेन्द्रियः: कर्तृविशेषण (Agent-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित (वि-√जि धातु + क्त, कृदन्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (विजितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not site-specific; describes the dharmic transition after discharging ṛṣi/deva/pitṛ debts into vānaprastha as a purification stage leading toward renunciation and Śiva-oriented knowledge.

Significance: General: promotes tapas and indriya-jaya as preparatory sādhana for Śiva-jñāna and eventual liberation.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva ideal of maturing from worldly duties into disciplined renunciation: after fulfilling obligations, one cultivates endurance and mastery of the senses—key qualifications for Shiva-realization and liberation.

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

Sense-control and equanimity purify the devotee so Linga-worship becomes inwardly effective—offering not merely external ritual but a steady mind fit to contemplate Saguna Shiva and progress toward the higher, formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Austere, regular sadhana is implied—daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya), meditation with restraint of the senses, and simple Shaiva observances such as bhasma (tripundra) and Rudraksha to support steadiness and detachment.