Shloka 43

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

Interpretive Discipline

Devanagari script

यो देवानामुपक्रम्यः यः परः स महेश्वरः । इत्यंतं तस्य पुरतः कह्लारादिविर्निताम्

Transliteration

yo devānāmupakramyaḥ yaḥ paraḥ sa maheśvaraḥ | ityaṃtaṃ tasya purataḥ kahlārādivirnitām

Translation

“He who is foremost among the gods, who is the Supreme—He indeed is Maheśvara.” Thus, in his very presence, the utterance was concluded, expressed with lotus and other offerings.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• उपक्रम्यः: to be approached
• उपक्रम्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-kramya (कृदन्त; √kram (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: Gerundive/Future passive participle (यत्/ण्यत्), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘approachable/one to be approached’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• परः: supreme
• परः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक; mahā + īśvara)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इत्यादि-निर्देशक-अव्यय)

• अन्तम्: to the end/limit
• अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially ‘up to the end’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• पुरतः: in front of
• पुरतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puratas (अव्यय/निपात-प्राय)
• Form: Adverb/postposition (पूर्वदेशवाचक-अव्यय) governing genitive

• कह्लारादि: (with) kahlāra etc.
• कह्लारादि: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kahlāra-ādi (प्रातिपदिक; kahlāra + ādi)
• Form: Neuter, (likely) Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular used as first member of compound with ‘virnitām’; ‘beginning with kahlāra’

• विर्निताम्: arranged/formed
• विर्निताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-nīta (कृदन्त; √nī (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with an implied feminine noun (e.g., ‘mālāṃ/vidyāṃ’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: yo devānāmupakramyaḥ yaḥ paraḥ sa maheśvaraḥ

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as Maheśvara—the Supreme beyond the gods—affirming the Shaiva Siddhanta view of Pati (the Lord) as the highest refuge and liberator.

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

By naming Him “Maheśvara” and praising Him in His presence, it supports saguna-upāsanā: direct devotional worship (often through the Liṅga) as a valid means to approach the transcendent Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Recite Śiva-stotra with reverence and offer pure flowers—especially lotus—while contemplating Śiva as the Supreme (para) Maheśvara; this can be paired with japa of the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”