Shloka 39

Devanagari script

अष्टत्रिंशन्मंत्ररूपा श्शिष्यदेहेऽथ मस्तके । समावाह्य शिवं मुद्राः स्थापनीयाः प्रदर्शयेत्

Transliteration

aṣṭatriṃśanmaṃtrarūpā śśiṣyadehe'tha mastake | samāvāhya śivaṃ mudrāḥ sthāpanīyāḥ pradarśayet

Translation

Having invoked Śiva, the teacher should demonstrate and then establish the mudrās—formed as thirty-eight mantra-embodiments—upon the disciple’s body, and especially upon the head.

Word by Word

• अष्टत्रिंशत्-मन्त्र-रूपाः: having the form of thirty-eight mantras
• अष्टत्रिंशत्-मन्त्र-रूपाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टत्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (mantra-rūpa: having the form of mantras; qualified by number 38)

• शिष्य-देहे: in the disciple’s body
• शिष्य-देहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequencing particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• समावाह्य: having invoked
• समावाह्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having invoked/brought in’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• मुद्राः: mudrās (hand-gestures)
• मुद्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्थापनीयाः: to be placed
• स्थापनीयाः: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle: ‘to be placed’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रदर्शयेत्: should demonstrate/show
• प्रदर्शयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailāsa-saṃhitā’s dīkṣā-vidhi taught in the tradition of Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is invoked and sealed into the practitioner’s embodied awareness through mantra-formed mudrās, sanctifying the disciple’s body as a fit vessel for Śiva-sādhana and liberation-oriented discipline.

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

Just as the liṅga is ritually invoked (āvāhana) as Saguna Śiva for worship, the disciple’s body is also treated as a consecrated field where Śiva’s presence is installed through mantra and mudrā, aligning inner worship with outer liṅga-pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dīkṣā-style practice of āvāhana followed by nyāsa-like placement of mudrās (energetic seals) on the body and head—used to stabilize mantra-power, protect the sādhaka, and focus meditation on Śiva.