Shloka 28

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

Interpretive Discipline

Devanagari script

श्रुतिराह मुने सा हि साक्षाच्छिवमुखोद्गता । सर्वात्मा परमैरेभिर्गुणैर्नित्यसमन्वयात्

Transliteration

śrutirāha mune sā hi sākṣācchivamukhodgatā | sarvātmā paramairebhirguṇairnityasamanvayāt

Translation

O sage, the Shruti (Veda) declares: it has truly issued directly from Shiva’s own mouth. Because He is the Self of all, He is eternally conjoined with the supreme qualities that uphold and illumine all.

Word by Word

• śrutiḥ: the Śruti (Veda)
• śrutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन) एकवचनम्

• sā: she/that (Śruti)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता—श्रुतिः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः; हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• sākṣāt: directly
• sākṣāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (directly, manifestly)

• śiva-mukha-udgatā: arisen from Śiva’s mouth
• śiva-mukha-udgatā: Pradhāna-predicative (विशेषण—श्रुतेः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + udgata (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (शिवस्य मुखात् उद्गता)

• sarvātmā: the all-self (one whose self is all)
• sarvātmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—implicit ‘he/that’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (सर्वः आत्मा यस्य/सर्वात्मा—‘all-self’)

• paramaiḥ: by supreme
• paramaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (with ‘guṇaiḥ’)

• ebhiḥ: by these
• ebhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम; ‘these’ (with ‘guṇaiḥ’)

• guṇaiḥ: qualities
• guṇaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्

• nitya-samanvayāt: from constant connection/association
• nitya-samanvayāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान—‘due to/from’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (नित्यः समन्वयः यस्मात्/नित्यसमन्वयात्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages, inferred from Purana dialogue convention in philosophical sections)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shruti (Veda)

FAQs

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

It establishes Shruti (Vedic revelation) as originating from Shiva Himself, grounding Shaiva doctrine in scriptural authority and affirming Shiva as the inner Self (Sarvatma) who grants liberating knowledge.

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

If Shruti is Shiva’s own utterance, then the prescribed modes of worship—including reverence to Shiva’s manifest (saguna) forms such as the Linga—are validated as divinely revealed means to approach the transcendent (nirguna) Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is śravaṇa and manana of Shiva-centered Shruti: study/recitation of Vedic-Shiva teachings with japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namah Shivaya”) as a practical way to internalize Shiva as the Self of all.