Shloka 11

Devanagari script

चतुर्थः पञ्चमार्थस्स्याद्गुरुरूपप्रदर्शकः । षष्ठश्शिष्यात्मरूपोऽर्थः षड्विधार्थाः प्रकीर्त्तिताः

Transliteration

caturthaḥ pañcamārthassyādgururūpapradarśakaḥ | ṣaṣṭhaśśiṣyātmarūpo'rthaḥ ṣaḍvidhārthāḥ prakīrttitāḥ

Translation

The fourth and fifth meanings are said to be those that reveal the Guru’s form; the sixth meaning is that whose form is the disciple’s very Self. Thus the sixfold meanings have been proclaimed.

Word by Word

• चतुर्थः: the fourth
• चतुर्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal used substantively

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal used substantively

• अर्थः: meaning/sense
• अर्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• स्यात्: is/should be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ‘would be/should be’

• गुरु-रूप-प्रदर्शकः: revealer of the guru-form
• गुरु-रूप-प्रदर्शकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदर्शक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘गुरोः रूपं प्रदर्शयति’ (one who shows the form of the guru)

• षष्ठः: the sixth
• षष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal used substantively

• शिष्य-आत्म-रूपः: having the form of the disciple-self
• शिष्य-आत्म-रूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय (descriptive): ‘शिष्यात्मा एव रूपम्’ / ‘having the form of the disciple-self’

• अर्थः: meaning/sense
• अर्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• षड्विध-अर्थाः: sixfold meanings
• षड्विध-अर्थाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘षड्विधाः अर्थाः’ (meanings of six kinds)

• प्रकीर्तिताः: have been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘have been proclaimed’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru
• Disciple

FAQs

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

It teaches that scripture and mantra are not merely intellectual: their deeper senses disclose the Guru-principle and culminate in recognizing the disciple’s own Self as aligned with Shiva’s grace—an essential Shaiva Siddhanta movement from instruction to realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, Saguna worship (Linga, images, ritual) is guided by the Guru; these ‘meanings’ point from outer devotion to the inner presence of Shiva revealed through the Guru, so Linga-upasana becomes a doorway to inner awakening rather than mere formality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Guru-upasana with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) and contemplative inquiry into the mantra’s layered meanings—seeing the Guru as the revealer and meditating on the Self purified by Shiva’s grace.