Shloka 1

Ṣaḍvidhārtha-Parijñāna: Praṇavārtha and the Sixfold Unity of Meaning (षड्विधार्थपरिज्ञानम् / प्रणवार्थपरिज्ञानम्)

Devanagari script

वामदेव उवाच । भगवन्षण्मुखाशेष विज्ञानामृतवारिधे । विश्वामरेश्वरसुत प्रणतार्त्तिप्रभञ्जन

Transliteration

vāmadeva uvāca | bhagavanṣaṇmukhāśeṣa vijñānāmṛtavāridhe | viśvāmareśvarasuta praṇatārttiprabhañjana

Translation

Vāmadeva said: “O Blessed Lord, O Six-faced One (Ṣaṇmukha), ocean of the nectar of boundless spiritual knowledge; O son of the Lord of the gods of the universe—destroyer of the distress of those who bow to you.”

Word by Word

• वामदेवः: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmadeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O Blessed Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• षण्मुख: O Six-faced One
• षण्मुख: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṇmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (षण् + मुख), सम्बोधन, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; नाम (epithet)

• अशेष: O all-encompassing
• अशेष: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण (entire/without remainder)

• विज्ञान-अमृत-वारिधे: O ocean of the nectar of knowledge
• विज्ञान-अमृत-वारिधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + vāridhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (‘विज्ञानरूपम् अमृतम्’ इति कर्मधारय-आभासः; तस्य वारिधिः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• विश्व-अमर-ईश्वर-सुत: O son of the Lord of the gods
• विश्व-अमर-ईश्वर-सुत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + amara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (अमराणाम् ईश्वरः = अमरेश्वरः; तस्य सुतः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• प्रणत-आर्ति-प्रभञ्जन: O destroyer of the distress of the bowed (devotees)
• प्रणत-आर्ति-प्रभञ्जन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + ārti (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhañjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (प्रणतानाम् आर्तिः; तस्य प्रभञ्जनः = destroyer), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Vamadeva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Kartikeya
• Indra

FAQs

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

The verse models Śaiva devotion through surrender: the devotee praises divine wisdom (vijñāna) as nectar and affirms that grace destroys the suffering of those who bow with humility—an essential Shaiva Siddhanta theme of Pati’s compassion freeing the bound soul (paśu) from pain.

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

Though addressed to Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda), the praise reflects Saguna worship: approaching the divine through a personal form, names, and qualities. In Shaiva tradition, such devotion ultimately leads the mind toward Shiva as the supreme source of wisdom and grace, often worshiped as the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is namaskāra (prostration) with japa of Shiva-mantras (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and devotional recitation (stotra-pāṭha), cultivating surrender so that distress (ārti) is calmed and insight (vijñāna) deepens.