Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

सुब्रह्मण्य उवाच । श्रूयताम्मुनिशार्दूल त्वया यत्पृष्टमादरात् । समष्टिव्यष्टिभावेन परिज्ञानम्महेशितुः

Transliteration

subrahmaṇya uvāca | śrūyatāmmuniśārdūla tvayā yatpṛṣṭamādarāt | samaṣṭivyaṣṭibhāvena parijñānammaheśituḥ

Translation

Subrahmaṇya said: “O tiger among sages, listen to what you have asked with reverence. I shall explain the true knowledge of Maheśa—known both as the universal Whole and as the indwelling reality within the individual.”

Word by Word

• सुब्रह्मण्यः: Subrahmaṇya
• सुब्रह्मण्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: subrahmaṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; speaker name

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Directive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); passive sense ‘let it be heard’

• मुनिशार्दूल: O tiger among sages
• मुनिशार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: कर्मधारय ‘मुनिः शार्दूल इव’ (tiger among sages); Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (करण/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; relative pronoun referring to ‘that which’ (object of explanation)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prach (प्रच्छ् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; agrees with यत्

• आदरात्: out of respect
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अव्ययीभाव) meaning ‘out of respect’

• समष्टि: as a whole (collective)
• समष्टि: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular as first member in dvandva-like pair

• व्यष्टि: as individual (particular)
• व्यष्टि: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular as paired member

• भावेन: by the manner/state
• भावेन: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; together: ‘by the mode of (collective and individual)’

• परिज्ञानम्: complete understanding
• परिज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; object/content to be explained/heard

• महेशितुः: of Maheśa (the Great Lord)
• महेशितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

Speaker

Subrahmaṇya (Kārttikeya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Maheśa-jñāna as both samaṣṭi (cosmic Lord) and vyaṣṭi (indwelling Lord), aligning pilgrimage devotion with inner realization.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It introduces a Shaiva philosophical framework: Maheśa is to be known both as the cosmic Totality (samaṣṭi) and as the intimate indweller of each being (vyaṣṭi). This prepares the listener for liberating knowledge (jñāna) that culminates in grace and moksha under the Lord’s sovereignty.

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

By pointing to samaṣṭi and vyaṣṭi, the verse supports Saguna worship (Śiva approachable through Linga, mantra, and forms) while affirming the deeper truth of Śiva as the all-pervading reality. Linga worship becomes a disciplined doorway from form-based devotion to realization of the formless-pervading Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative japa and dhyāna: repeat the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while meditating on Śiva as both the vast cosmic Lord and the inner witness in the heart. This aligns devotion (bhakti) with insight (jñāna).