Shloka 10

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

यद्वेदादौ स्वरम्प्राहुर्वाच्यवाचकभावतः । वेदैकवेद्यं याथात्म्याद्वेदान्ते च प्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

yadvedādau svaramprāhurvācyavācakabhāvataḥ | vedaikavedyaṃ yāthātmyādvedānte ca pratiṣṭhitam

Translation

That Reality which, at the very beginning of the Veda, is declared to be the sacred sound—both as the signifier and the signified; which, in its true nature, is knowable only through the Veda; and which stands firmly established in the Vedānta—this indeed is the Supreme Lord, Śiva.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/object—of prāhuḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचकसर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वेद-आदौ: at the beginning of the Veda
• वेद-आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य आदौ)

• स्वरम्: the syllable/intoned sound (svara)
• स्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्राहुः: they have declared
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वाच्य-वाचक-भावतः: by virtue of the relation of denoted and denoter
• वाच्य-वाचक-भावतः: Hetu (हेतु/causal-adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वाच्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाचक (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial), तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थे “from/according to the state of”; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (भावतः)

• वेद-एक-वेद्यम्: knowable only through the Veda
• वेद-एक-वेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object—apposition to यत्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदेन एव वेद्यम्)

• याथात्म्यात्: from its true nature
• याथात्म्यात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याथात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे “from/owing to”

• वेद-अन्ते: in the Vedānta (end of the Veda)
• वेद-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य अन्ते)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: is established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे “established”

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Veda
• Vedanta
• Om (Pranava)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as the primal sacred sound (praṇava) and as the ultimate purport of the Vedas, teaching that Shiva—the Pati—is realized through true Vedic insight culminating in Vedānta.

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

By presenting Shiva as both signifier and signified, it supports Saguna worship (Linga, mantra, form) as a valid doorway, while affirming that the same Shiva is ultimately established as the highest truth in Vedānta.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditation on praṇava (Om) and Shiva-mantra japa—especially aligning mantra (vācaka) with contemplation of Shiva-tattva (vācya)—as a direct practice leading the mind toward Vedāntic realization.