Shloka 26

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

Interpretive Discipline

Devanagari script

तत्त्वयोश्चास्म्यहं प्राणास्सर्वस्स्सर्वात्मको ह्यहम् । जीवस्य चान्तर्यामित्वाज्जीवोऽहं तस्य सर्वदा

Transliteration

tattvayoścāsmyahaṃ prāṇāssarvasssarvātmako hyaham | jīvasya cāntaryāmitvājjīvo'haṃ tasya sarvadā

Translation

Among the principles (tattva) I am the vital breath (prāṇa); I am the All, for I am the Self abiding in all. And since I dwell as the inner Ruler (antaryāmin) of the individual soul, I am ever present within that jīva as its inmost reality.

Word by Word

• तत्त्वयोः: of the two principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्वयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; Genitive Dual

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

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

• प्राणाः: vital breaths; life-forces
• प्राणाः: प्रत्ययार्थ-विशेष्य (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative Plural

• सर्वः: all; the whole
• सर्वः: प्रत्ययार्थ-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; used predicatively

• सर्वात्मकः: having all as its self; all-pervading
• सर्वात्मकः: प्रत्ययार्थ-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/Genitive sense: 'of all'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Predicate adjective

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: सम्बोधन/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Pronoun Nominative Singular

• जीवस्य: of the individual soul
• जीवस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive Singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्तर्यामित्वात्: because of (my) being the inner controller
• अन्तर्यामित्वात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर्यामित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative Singular (reason/cause)

• जीवः: the jīva
• जीवः: प्रत्ययार्थ-विशेष्य (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative Singular (predicate)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Pronoun Nominative Singular

• तस्य: of him/that (jīva)
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive Singular

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Jiva (individual soul)
• Antaryamin (Inner Ruler)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is not merely an external deity but the antaryāmin—the indwelling Lord—present as the life-force and inner Self of all beings; realizing this inner presence is the doorway to liberation (moksha).

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

Linga worship trains the mind to recognize Shiva everywhere: the outer Linga represents Saguna Shiva for devotion, while the verse points to the same Shiva as Nirguna/inner reality—one Lord approached outwardly in worship and inwardly in realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the prāṇa within the breath (prāṇānusandhāna) while repeating the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and wear rudrākṣa as reminders that the Lord abides within as the inner ruler.