Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

पंच ब्रह्मसमष्टिस्स्यादीशानं ब्रह्म विश्रुतम् । पुरुषाद्यं तु तद्व्यष्टिस्सद्योजातान्तिकं मुने

Transliteration

paṃca brahmasamaṣṭissyādīśānaṃ brahma viśrutam | puruṣādyaṃ tu tadvyaṣṭissadyojātāntikaṃ mune

Translation

The collective (samaṣṭi) reality of the five Brahmas is renowned as Īśāna-Brahman. Yet their individual (vyaṣṭi) manifestation begins from Puruṣa and extends up to Sadyojāta, O sage.

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (numeral; indeclinable-like usage here)

• ब्रह्म-समष्टिः: the collective (totality) of the Brahmas
• ब्रह्म-समष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + समष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणां समष्टिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्यात्: would be/is said to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ईशानम्: Īśāna
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/विधेय), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman/Brahmā (as ‘Brahma’)
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• विश्रुतम्: well-known
• विश्रुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (well-known)

• पुरुषाद्यम्: beginning with Puruṣa
• पुरुषाद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुष + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पुरुषः आदिः यस्य (तत्पुरुष)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: व्यतिरेक/विरोध-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• तद्-व्यष्टिः: its individual aspect
• तद्-व्यष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + व्यष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विधेय), एकवचन; समासः—तस्य व्यष्टिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सद्योजात-अन्तिकम्: ending with Sadyōjāta
• सद्योजात-अन्तिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्योजात + अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सद्योजातः अन्तः/सीमा यस्य (तत्पुरुष)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s esoteric teaching as preserved in the Kailasha Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana
• Sadyojata
• Purusha

FAQs

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

It distinguishes Shiva’s Pañcabrahma principle as both the unified supreme reality (Īśāna as samaṣṭi) and the differentiated modes of divine function (vyaṣṭi), guiding the seeker from multiplicity to the recognition of one Pati (Lord) as the ground of all.

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

In Saguna worship, devotees contemplate Shiva’s fivefold revelation (often linked to the five faces/functions) while holding the inner unity as Īśāna-Brahman; the Linga is approached as the one reality in which these differentiated aspects are present without division.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the unity of Īśāna while mentally invoking the fivefold aspects (Pañcabrahma) during japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” using the practice to move from outward attributes to inward oneness of Shiva-tattva.