Shloka 63

गजाननपूजा तथा औपासन-होमविधिः

Worship of Gajānana and the Procedure of Aupāsana-Homa

Devanagari script

तस्मादेकाक्षरन्देवं शिवं परमकारणम् । उपासते यतिश्रेष्ठा हृदयाम्भोजमध्यगम्

Transliteration

tasmādekākṣarandevaṃ śivaṃ paramakāraṇam | upāsate yatiśreṣṭhā hṛdayāmbhojamadhyagam

Translation

Therefore the foremost ascetics worship Lord Śiva—the Supreme Cause—who is the One Imperishable Syllable, abiding in the center of the lotus of the heart.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/अपादान (cause/source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-प्रयोगः (ablative used adverbially: ‘therefore/from that’); एकवचन

• एकाक्षरम्: one-syllabled
• एकाक्षरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—एकं अक्षरं यस्य/एकाक्षरम् (one-syllabled)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; देवम् इत्यस्य अपि विशेष्य/समनाधिकरण (apposition)

• परमकारणम्: the supreme cause
• परमकारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—परमं कारणम् (supreme cause)

• उपासते: worship, meditate upon
• उपासते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यति-श्रेष्ठाः: the best of ascetics
• यति-श्रेष्ठाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—यतीनां श्रेष्ठाः (best among ascetics)

• हृदय-अम्भोज-मध्यगम्: dwelling in the center of the heart-lotus
• हृदय-अम्भोज-मध्यगम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गम् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘मध्यग’ = गम्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त/कृदन्त-विशेषण (one who has gone to/abides in the middle); विशेषण—शिवम्/देवम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasa Samhita teaching to the sages, summarizing the yogic/shaiva conclusion)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ekākṣara (the One Imperishable Syllable) implicitly points to Oṃ as Śiva-vācaka in this chapter’s context.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Śiva as the Paramakāraṇa (Supreme Cause) and the Akṣara (imperishable spiritual principle), teaching that liberation-oriented seekers should realize Him inwardly through heart-centered contemplation rather than merely external ritual.

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

While Liṅga worship supports Saguna upāsanā (devotional focus with form), this verse emphasizes the inner Liṅga—Śiva present in the heart-lotus—pointing from outward symbols to direct yogic realization of the same Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva in the heart-lotus (hṛdayāmbhoja) with mantra-japa—classically the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady inner worship (upāsanā) leading toward Śiva-knowledge and freedom from pāśa (bondage).