Shloka 72

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

नव रेखाः समालिख्य प्रागग्रान्द्वादश क्रमात् । संस्तीर्य्य दर्भान्दक्षादिदेवादिस्थानपञ्चकम्

Transliteration

nava rekhāḥ samālikhya prāgagrāndvādaśa kramāt | saṃstīryya darbhāndakṣādidevādisthānapañcakam

Translation

Having neatly drawn nine lines, and then, in sequence, twelve divisions with their tips facing east, one should spread darbha grass and arrange the five sacred stations beginning with Dakṣa and the other gods.

Word by Word

• नव: nine
• नव: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग-बहुवचन-प्रथमा (रेखाः इति विशेष्य-अनुरोधेन)

• रेखाः: lines
• रेखाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समालिख्य: having drawn evenly
• समालिख्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); पूर्वकालक्रिया (having drawn)

• प्राक्-अग्रान्: with ends facing east
• प्राक्-अग्रान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (प्राक् अग्राः = having tips facing east)

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; (क्रमात् इत्यनेन) द्वादश-क्रमेण इति भावः

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावे—क्रमात् = in order/stepwise

• संस्तीर्य: having spread
• संस्तीर्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); पूर्वकालक्रिया (having spread)

• दर्भान्: kuśa grass
• दर्भान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• दक्ष-आदि-देव-आदि-स्थान-पञ्चकम्: the set of five places for Dakṣa etc. and the gods etc.
• दक्ष-आदि-देव-आदि-स्थान-पञ्चकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष + आदि + देव + आदि + स्थान + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दक्षादीनां देवादीनां च स्थानानां पञ्चकम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Devas

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined preparation—direction, order, and purity—as an outer mirror of inner alignment (pāśa loosening) for approaching Pati, Lord Shiva, through correct worship.

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

The verse gives procedural groundwork for a consecrated worship-space; such ordered placement supports Saguna upāsanā of Shiva as the Linga, where form-based ritual steadies the mind toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A puja-vidhi step: draw prescribed lines/divisions, orient the setup eastward, and spread darbha grass to establish sanctity before invoking deities and proceeding with Shiva worship.