Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

मनुमेवं समुच्चार्य स्थित्वा तस्मिन्नुदङ्मुखः । प्राणानायम्य विधिवत्प्र णवोच्चारपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

manumevaṃ samuccārya sthitvā tasminnudaṅmukhaḥ | prāṇānāyamya vidhivatpra ṇavoccārapūrvakam

Translation

Having thus recited the mantra, he remained there facing north; then, in the prescribed manner, he regulated the breath—beginning with the utterance of Praṇava (Oṁ).

Word by Word

• manum: the mantra/Manu (mantra-formula)
• manum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), prakāra-vācaka adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• samuccārya: having pronounced/recited
• samuccārya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-√car (सम्+उद्+चर् धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त), pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• sthitvā: having stood/remained
• sthitvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त)

• tasmin: in that (state/place)
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ/Napuṃ (पुं/नपुंसक), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• udaṅmukhaḥ: facing north
• udaṅmukhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udak (उदक/उदङ्) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) = ‘udak-diśi mukhaṃ yasya’ (north-facing)

• prāṇān: the breaths (vital airs)
• prāṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• āyamya: having restrained (controlled)
• āyamya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yam (आ+यम् धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा) in ya-form (आयम्य), Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त)

• vidhivat: according to rule
• vidhivat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhivat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), manner adverb (विधिवत् = विधिना)

• praṇava-uccāra-pūrvakam: preceded by the utterance of Oṃ
• praṇava-uccāra-pūrvakam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + uccāra (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; napuṃsaka-eka (नपुंसक एकवचन) form functioning as avyaya; meaning ‘with praṇava-recitation as the preface’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-japa becomes spiritually potent when joined to discipline of posture, direction, and prāṇa—beginning with Praṇava—so the mind turns steadily toward Pati (Lord Shiva) rather than remaining scattered in pasha-bound tendencies.

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

The verse describes the inner method that supports outer worship: before (or alongside) Linga-upāsanā, the devotee steadies breath and begins japa with Om, making the mind fit to contemplate Shiva in a saguna form while being led toward the higher, transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Face north, recite the chosen Shiva-mantra, perform prāṇāyāma in a rule-based way, and commence japa with the utterance of Praṇava (Om) as the sanctifying prelude.