Shloka 24

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

पुनरर्च्य देवेशम्प्रणवेन समाहितः । हस्तेन बद्धाञ्जलिना पूजापुष्पम्प्रगृह्य च

Transliteration

punararcya deveśampraṇavena samāhitaḥ | hastena baddhāñjalinā pūjāpuṣpampragṛhya ca

Translation

Worshipping again the Lord of the gods with the Pranava (Oṁ), his mind well-collected, he joined his hands in reverence and, taking up the flowers of worship, proceeded to offer them.

Word by Word

• punar: again
• punar: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• arcya: having worshipped
• arcya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having worshipped’

• deveśam: the Lord of gods
• deveśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: deva+īśa (देवेश)

• praṇavena: with the praṇava (Oṁ)
• praṇavena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• samāhitaḥ: composed, concentrated
• samāhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of implied subject (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘collected/absorbed’

• hastena: with the hand
• hastena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• baddha-añjalinā: with joined palms
• baddha-añjalinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baddha (सम्+बन्ध् धातु, क्त) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: बद्ध+अञ्जलि (बद्धाञ्जलि) ‘with joined palms’

• pūjā-puṣpam: a flower for worship
• pūjā-puṣpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: पूजायाः पुष्पम् (pūjā+puṣpa)

• pragṛhya: having taken
• pragṛhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-grah (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having taken/held’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: praṇava (Oṃ) explicitly; pañcākṣarī not quoted

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It unites inner discipline (samāhita—steady, gathered awareness) with outer devotion (añjali and flower-offering), showing that Śiva is approached through both bhakti and yogic concentration, with Oṁ as the doorway to the Supreme Pati.

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

The actions described—reverent añjali and offering pūjā-flowers—are classic saguna upāsanā elements used in Liṅga worship, while the Praṇava (Oṁ) points to Śiva’s nirguṇa depth behind the worshipped form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin worship by centering the mind, invoke Śiva with Oṁ (Praṇava-japa), then offer flowers with joined palms—indicating mantra-led pūjā supported by mindful concentration.