Shloka 2

न्यासवर्णनम् (Nyāsa-varṇanam) — Description of Nyāsa in the Saṃnyāsa Procedure

Devanagari script

प्रणवं पूर्वमुद्धृत्य पश्चादाधार मुद्धरेत् । तत्पश्चाच्छक्तिकमलं चतुर्थ्यंतं नमोन्तकम्

Transliteration

praṇavaṃ pūrvamuddhṛtya paścādādhāra muddharet | tatpaścācchaktikamalaṃ caturthyaṃtaṃ namontakam

Translation

First one should utter the Praṇava (Oṁ); then one should utter the Ādhāra, the supporting seed. After that, one should pronounce the Śakti-lotus power-seed, ending in the fourth case (dative), and concluding with the word “namaḥ” (salutation).

Word by Word

• praṇavam: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• pūrvam: first, beforehand
• pūrvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), kāla-krama-arthaka adverb (क्रम/कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• uddhṛtya: having lifted/uttered (taking up)
• uddhṛtya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√hṛ (उद्+हृ धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त), pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), kāla-krama-arthaka adverb (क्रमवाचक)

• ādhāram: the support/base (ādhāra)
• ādhāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• uddharet: should lift/should extract
• uddharet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√hṛ (उद्+हृ धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tat: then
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage as discourse connector (अव्यय-प्रयोग, ततः/तदनन्तरम्-अर्थे)

• paścāt: after that
• paścāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), kāla-krama-arthaka adverb (क्रमवाचक)

• śakti-kamalam: the lotus of Śakti
• śakti-kamalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘śakteḥ kamalam’

• caturthī-antam: ending in the dative (4th case)
• caturthī-antam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturthī (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘caturthyā antaḥ yasya’ = ending with the dative (4th case)

• namo-antakam: ending with ‘namo’
• namo-antakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक) + antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘namo’ (namas) + antaka = ending with ‘namo’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: Oṃ + (ādhāra-bīja) + (śakti-kamala component) + (dative-form) + namaḥ (as described; exact bījas not fully specified in verse)

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined, step-by-step mantra formation: beginning with Oṁ, grounding the mind in the “support” principle, invoking Śakti, and finally surrendering through “namaḥ”—a Shaiva Siddhānta pattern of grace (Śiva-Śakti) leading the soul toward liberation.

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

The sequence culminates in “namaḥ,” the attitude of reverent offering central to Saguna Shiva worship—especially in Liṅga-pūjā—where mantra and salutation are joined to external worship and inner contemplation of Śiva as Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with correct order: start with Oṁ, add the prescribed seed/support elements, and end with “namaḥ,” performed with focused mind as part of daily Śiva-upāsanā, Liṅga-pūjā, or Mahāśivarātri observance.