Shloka 32

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

गृह्णीयादर्चयिष्यामि शिवमाप्राणसंक्षयम् । एवन्त्रिवारमुच्चार्य्य शपथं गुरुसन्निधौ

Transliteration

gṛhṇīyādarcayiṣyāmi śivamāprāṇasaṃkṣayam | evantrivāramuccāryya śapathaṃ gurusannidhau

Translation

In the Guru’s very presence, having uttered this vow three times, one should take it up: “I shall worship Lord Śiva until the exhaustion of my life-breath—until my last breath.”

Word by Word

• गृह्णीयात्: should take/accept
• गृह्णीयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अर्चयिष्यामि: I will worship
• अर्चयिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आ-प्राण-संक्षयम्: until the end of breath
• आ-प्राण-संक्षयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: up to the exhaustion of breath)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• त्रिवारम्: three times
• त्रिवारम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverb: three times)

• उच्चार्य: having uttered
• उच्चार्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from causative/denominative sense ‘to utter’; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• शपथम्: an oath
• शपथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• गुरु-सन्निधौ: in the guru's presence
• गुरु-सन्निधौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (in the presence of the guru)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed vow/discipline as taught in the Kailasa tradition)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru

FAQs

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

It establishes dīkṣā-like steadiness: devotion to Pati (Shiva) is not occasional but a life-long vow, affirmed before the Guru, aligning the bound soul (paśu) toward liberation through unwavering worship.

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

The verse emphasizes continuous saguna-upāsanā—regular Shiva pūjā (often through the Liṅga as the accessible form of Shiva)—as a disciplined means to purify bonds (pāśa) and mature devotion into liberating knowledge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take a formal vrata in the Guru’s presence and repeat it three times; then maintain daily Shiva worship—commonly with mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offerings, and consistent pūjā—until life’s end.