Shloka 14

Paramātma-Svarūpa-Nirṇaya: Strī–Puṃ–Napuṃsaka-Vicāra

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

सुब्रह्मण्य उवाच । एतदेव मुने गुह्यं शिवेन परिभाषितम् । अम्बायाः शृण्वतो देव्या वामदेव ममापि हि

Transliteration

subrahmaṇya uvāca | etadeva mune guhyaṃ śivena paribhāṣitam | ambāyāḥ śṛṇvato devyā vāmadeva mamāpi hi

Translation

Subrahmaṇya said: “O sage, this very teaching is the secret that was explained by Śiva—while the Goddess Ambā was listening, and while Vāmadeva and I too were hearing.”

Word by Word

• सुब्रह्मण्यः: Subrahmaṇya
• सुब्रह्मण्यः: कर्ता (speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, अवधारणार्थक

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• गुह्यम्: secret
• गुह्यम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘एतत्’ विशेषण

• शिवेन: by Śiva
• शिवेन: कर्ता (कर्मणि प्रयोगे agent; ‘by Śiva’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• परिभाषितम्: was explained/uttered
• परिभाषितम्: क्रिया (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-भाष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अम्बायाः: of Ambā (Pārvatī)
• अम्बायाः: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शृण्वतः: while (I) was listening
• शृण्वतः: सम्बन्ध (genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘मम’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (मे शृण्वतः = ‘while I was listening’)

• देव्याः: of the Goddess
• देव्याः: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘अम्बायाः’ समानाधिकरण

• वामदेव: O Vāmadeva
• वामदेव: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• मम: of me/my
• मम: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

Speaker

Subrahmanya (Kartikeya/Skanda)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Subrahmanya (Kartikeya)
• Vamadeva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Śiva’s highest instructions are “guhya” (esoteric) and are transmitted through sacred listening (śravaṇa) in the presence of the Divine Mother, highlighting the sanctity of lineage and attentive hearing in Shaiva practice.

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

By stressing that Śiva personally “expounded” the teaching, it frames Saguna Śiva (the personal Lord who teaches) as the compassionate revealer of the inner truth that supports Linga-worship—outer devotion grounded in inner understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Śravaṇa and smaraṇa: regularly listen to Śiva-tattva teachings and then contemplate them; this verse implicitly supports disciplined study/recitation of Shaiva doctrine alongside mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, Om Namaḥ Śivāya) where applicable.