Shloka 20

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

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

अनुमानप्रयोगस्याप्यवकाशो न विद्यते । पंचावयवयुक्तस्य स तु धूमस्य दर्शनात्

Transliteration

anumānaprayogasyāpyavakāśo na vidyate | paṃcāvayavayuktasya sa tu dhūmasya darśanāt

Translation

Here, even the occasion to employ inference (anumāna) does not arise; for that inferential process is set in motion by perceiving smoke and proceeds as a five-membered syllogism (pañcāvayava).

Word by Word

• अनुमान-प्रयोगस्य: of the application of inference
• अनुमान-प्रयोगस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुमान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अनुमानस्य प्रयोगः)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (निपात/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अप्यर्थे ‘even/also’

• अवकाशः: scope; opportunity
• अवकाशः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (निषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• विद्यते: exists; is found
• विद्यते: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘exists/is found’

• पञ्च-अवयव-युक्तस्य: of that which is furnished with five members
• पञ्च-अवयव-युक्तस्य: विशेषण-सम्बन्ध (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पञ्च अवयवाः यस्य/येन युक्तः)

• सः: that (it/he)
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• धूमस्य: of smoke
• धूमस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दर्शनात्: from (the) seeing; due to perception
• दर्शनात्: अपादान (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that logical inference is not the highest means for realizing Shiva; liberating knowledge culminates in direct recognition/experience of Pati (Shiva), beyond merely constructing proofs.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind from conceptual knowledge to immediacy—devotion and contemplative presence make Shiva ‘known’ not as a conclusion of logic, but as the directly intuited Lord indicated by the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Shift from debate to sādhanā: steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and dhyāna on Shiva so that knowledge becomes direct realization rather than inferential reasoning.