Shloka 28

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

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

प्रकाशश्चिच्च मिथुनं जगत्कारणतां गतम् । सच्चिदात्मन्यपि तथा जगत्कारणतां गतम्

Transliteration

prakāśaścicca mithunaṃ jagatkāraṇatāṃ gatam | saccidātmanyapi tathā jagatkāraṇatāṃ gatam

Translation

Light (prakāśa) and consciousness (cit)—this paired unity attains the status of being the cause of the universe. Likewise, in the reality whose nature is Being-and-Consciousness (sat–cit), it too is spoken of as having become the cause of the universe.

Word by Word

• prakāśaḥ: illumination/light
• prakāśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• cit: consciousness
• cit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (often), प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'consciousness')

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• mithunam: a pair / a couple
• mithunam: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); अत्र विधेय (predicative)

• jagat-kāraṇatām: the status of being the cause of the world
• jagat-kāraṇatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (jagataḥ kāraṇatā); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• gatam: having attained / become
• gatam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• sat-cit-ātmani: in the Saccidātman (being-consciousness Self)
• sat-cit-ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + cit (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (sac-cit-ātmā = whose nature is being and consciousness); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• api: also
• api: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-कार (also/even)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तथार्थक (in the same way)

• jagat-kāraṇatām: the status of being the cause of the world
• jagat-kāraṇatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• gatam: has attained / become
• gatam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogony (jagat-kāraṇatā)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to the supreme principle as luminous awareness—Shiva as the ground of experience—described as the causal basis of the universe, guiding the seeker to contemplate the source of consciousness rather than only external forms.

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

The Linga is revered as the sign of the formless reality—often understood as pure light and consciousness—so this verse supports Linga worship as contemplation of Shiva’s subtle nature expressed through an accessible sacred form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as inner light and awareness while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), anchoring attention in consciousness (cit) and offering the sense of “I” into that luminous reality (prakāśa).