Shloka 20

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

अणवो नैव जानन्ति मायार्णवमलावृताः । असत्स्वपि च सर्वेषु सिद्धसर्वार्थवेदिषु

Transliteration

aṇavo naiva jānanti māyārṇavamalāvṛtāḥ | asatsvapi ca sarveṣu siddhasarvārthavediṣu

Translation

The atomic souls (aṇu), veiled by the ocean of Māyā and by impurity (mala), do not truly know Reality; and even with regard to all that is unreal, they still imagine it to be real—though the siddhas, perfected knowers of all meanings, declare otherwise.

Word by Word

• aṇavaḥ: the atomic souls/limited beings (aṇavas)
• aṇavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• eva: indeed/at all
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• jānanti: know
• jānanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• māyā-arṇava-mala-āvṛtāḥ: covered by the impurity (mala) which is the ocean of māyā
• māyā-arṇava-mala-āvṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + mala (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त; √vṛ/वृ (धातु) + ā- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) विशेषण (qualifying aṇavaḥ)

• asatsu: even when (they are) absent/unreal
• asatsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-शब्दः (particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• sarveṣu: in all
• sarveṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• siddha-sarva-artha-vediṣu: among the perfected knowers of all meanings/objects
• siddha-sarva-artha-vediṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक) + sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + vedin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरणे (locative)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching in the Kailasha Saṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya
• Anu (individual soul)
• Mala (impurity)

FAQs

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

It states the Shaiva Siddhanta view that the bound soul (aṇu/pashu) is veiled by Māyā and mala, so it mistakes the unreal for real until Shiva’s grace and right knowledge remove the coverings.

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

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship disciplines the mind and senses caught in Māyā; through devotion and Shiva’s anugraha (grace), the soul gains true discernment beyond appearances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate viveka through japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with Shaiva purificatory observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, offered with steady meditation on Shiva as Pati (the liberator).