Shloka 65

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

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

शब्दस्पर्शरूपरसगुणकं सलिलं स्मृतम् । शब्द्स्पर्शरूपरसगन्धाढ्या पृथिवी स्मृता

Transliteration

śabdasparśarūparasaguṇakaṃ salilaṃ smṛtam | śabdsparśarūparasagandhāḍhyā pṛthivī smṛtā

Translation

Water (salila) is taught to possess the qualities of sound, touch, form, and taste; and Earth (pṛthivī) is taught to be endowed with sound, touch, form, taste, and smell.

Word by Word

• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-rasa-guṇakam: having sound, touch, form, and taste qualities
• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-rasa-guṇakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of salilam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); तत्पुरुषः: शब्द-स्पर्श-रूप-रस-गुणकं (having the qualities sound, touch, form, taste)

• salilam: water
• salilam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom., Singular)

• smṛtam: is considered/remembered as
• smṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + -ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is remembered/considered)

• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-rasa-gandha-āḍhyā: abounding in sound, touch, form, taste, and smell
• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-rasa-gandha-āḍhyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of pṛthivī
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom., Singular); तत्पुरुषः: शब्द-स्पर्श-रूप-रस-गन्धैः आढ्या (rich/abounding in these)

• pṛthivī: earth
• pṛthivī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom., Singular)

• smṛtā: is considered/remembered as
• smṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + -ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is remembered/considered)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (continuing the Kailāsa-saṃhitā teaching as a philosophical narration to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: completion of pañcabhūta-guṇa enumeration (āpaḥ and pṛthivī)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches tattva-viveka (discriminative knowledge): the gross world is structured through the five elements and their specific qualities, helping the seeker recognize that the soul (paśu) is distinct from these guṇas and can turn toward Śiva (Pati) for liberation.

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

By mapping the qualities of water and earth, the verse supports understanding how pañcopacāra and pañcāmṛta-type offerings employ elemental substances; in Liṅga worship these are offered back to Saguna Śiva, affirming Him as the Lord of all tattvas while the devotee seeks transcendence beyond them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple bhūta-śuddhi contemplation: observe sound, touch, form, taste, and smell as elemental qualities, then mentally offer them to Śiva with the pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), cultivating detachment from sensory binding (pāśa).