Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

अकारो बीजमाख्यातमुकारः शक्तिरुच्यते । मकारः कीलकं प्रोक्तं मोक्षार्थे विनियुज्यते

Transliteration

akāro bījamākhyātamukāraḥ śaktirucyate | makāraḥ kīlakaṃ proktaṃ mokṣārthe viniyujyate

Translation

The syllable ‘A’ is declared to be the seed (bīja); the syllable ‘U’ is said to be the power (śakti). The syllable ‘M’ is taught as the pin or seal (kīlaka). These are to be employed for the sake of liberation (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• अकारः: the letter 'a'
• अकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बीजम्: seed (mantric seed)
• बीजम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• आख्यातम्: is declared
• आख्यातम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उकारः: the letter 'u'
• उकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: power (śakti)
• शक्तिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मकारः: the letter 'ma'
• मकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कीलकम्: pin/peg (mantric 'kīlaka')
• कीलकम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is proclaimed
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मोक्षार्थे: for the purpose of liberation
• मोक्षार्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative purpose-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मोक्षस्य अर्थः)

• विनियुज्यते: is employed/applied
• विनियुज्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching in the Kailāsa-saṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: A-U-M (praṇava) with bīja-śakti-kīlaka mapping: akāra=bīja, ukāra=śakti, makāra=kīlaka.

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It explains the inner structure of sacred sound used in Shaiva practice: the mantra has a seed (bīja), an activating power (śakti), and a stabilizing seal (kīlaka), and when applied correctly it becomes a direct means toward mokṣa under Shiva’s grace.

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

In Linga-worship and Saguna-upāsanā, sound (mantra) and form (liṅga) work together: the bīja-śakti-kīlaka framework indicates how japa energizes devotion and concentrates awareness on Shiva as Pati, making external worship mature into internal realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests disciplined mantra-japa of Oṃ (A-U-M) with proper ‘vinayoga’—holding the seed, invoking its śakti, and sealing it with kīlaka—done with steadiness (dhyāna), ideally alongside Shaiva observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and focused worship of Shiva.