Shloka 23

Śiva-Śakti Tattva, Varṇa-Rahasya, and Mahāvākya-Bhāvanā

Interpretive Discipline

Devanagari script

सर्वभूतस्थितश्शम्भुस्स एवाहं न संशयः । तत्त्वजातस्य सर्वस्य प्राणोस्म्यहमहं शिवः

Transliteration

sarvabhūtasthitaśśambhussa evāhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ | tattvajātasya sarvasya prāṇosmyahamahaṃ śivaḥ

Translation

I am that Śambhu who abides within all beings—of this there is no doubt. Of the entire multitude of tattvas, I am the very life-breath (prāṇa); I am Śiva.

Word by Word

• सर्वभूत-स्थितः: present in all beings
• सर्वभूत-स्थितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वभूत + स्थित (स्था धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘सर्वभूतेषु स्थितः’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Shiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not / no
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्त्व-जातस्य: of the entire set of principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्व-जातस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व + जात (जन् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘जात’ (born/produced), ‘तत्त्वानां जातम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्त्वजातस्य इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्राणः: life-breath / vital principle
• प्राणः: Pratipadya (प्रातिपाद्य/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अहम्: I (myself)
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Pratipadya (प्रातिपाद्य/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Shiva’s immanence: Śiva (Pati) is present within all beings as their inner life, so recognizing him as the indwelling reality is a direct aid to liberation (moksha) in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to see one Shiva everywhere: the external Linga is a sacred support (ālambana) for realizing the same Śambhu within all beings and within oneself.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner witness and life-breath while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aligning prāṇa and awareness to perceive Śiva’s presence in all.