Shloka 41

अद्वैतशैवसिद्धान्ते पुरुष-प्रकृति-विचारः

Puruṣa–Prakṛti Analysis in Advaita Śaiva Doctrine

Devanagari script

दुरात्मनस्तस्य शिरश्छिंद्यां समतयाद्ध्रुवम् । सच्छक्त्या रिपुकालाग्निकल्पया न हि संशयः

Transliteration

durātmanastasya śiraśchiṃdyāṃ samatayāddhruvam | sacchaktyā ripukālāgnikalpayā na hi saṃśayaḥ

Translation

With unwavering resolve, I shall surely sever the head of that evil-minded one—by true divine power, fierce like the fire of Time (Kāla) that consumes enemies; of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• दुरात्मनः: of the wicked person
• दुरात्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; ‘of the evil-minded one’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• छिन्द्याम्: I should cut off
• छिन्द्याम्: क्रिया (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: धातु: छिद् (छिदँ—द्विधाकरणे), विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; ‘I should cut’

• समतया: with equanimity
• समतया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण/हेतु—‘with impartiality/equanimity’

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable): ‘certainly’

• सत्-शक्त्या: with true/pure power
• सत्-शक्त्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; समासः—सती शक्ति (कर्मधारय)

• रिपु-काल-अग्नि-कल्पया: like the fire of Time that destroys enemies
• रिपु-काल-अग्नि-कल्पया: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—रिपूणां कालः इव अग्निः यस्याः सा (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/उपमान-निर्देश); विशेषणम् (शक्त्या)

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

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

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kālāgni imagery: the fire of Time as cosmic consuming force (pralaya-symbolism) applied as divine punishment.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva as Pati (the Lord) who removes adharma by the force of śakti; spiritually, it points to the burning of inner enemies—ego, hatred, and delusion—by the fire of divine discernment and grace.

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

In Saguna worship, Shiva is approached as the compassionate yet just protector who destroys obstructive forces. Linga worship internalizes this: the devotee seeks Shiva’s śakti to cut off the ‘head’ of ignorance, establishing steadiness (dhruva-niścaya) in sadhana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) with steady resolve, offering bhasma (Tripundra) and cultivating inner equanimity; contemplate ‘kālāgni’ as the purifying fire that consumes negative tendencies.