Shloka 39

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

स्नापयेद्देवदेवेशं प्रणवेन शिवेन च । विशेषार्घ्योदकेनापि प्रणवेनाभिषेचयेत्

Transliteration

snāpayeddevadeveśaṃ praṇavena śivena ca | viśeṣārghyodakenāpi praṇavenābhiṣecayet

Translation

One should bathe the Lord of lords, the God of gods, with the sacred Praṇava (Oṁ) and with the mantra of Śiva. Even with specially sanctified arghya-water, one should perform His abhiṣeka again, invoking the Praṇava.

Word by Word

• स्नापयेत्: should cause to bathe / should bathe (ritually)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• देव-देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देव-देवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवेशः)

• प्रणवेन: with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• शिवेन: with (the mantra/name) Śiva
• शिवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विशेष-अर्घ्य-उदकेन: with special arghya-water (offering water)
• विशेष-अर्घ्य-उदकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (विशेषं अर्घ्यम्; अर्घ्यस्य उदकम्)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि = 'also/even'

• प्रणवेन: with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• अभिषेचयेत्: should anoint/sprinkle (perform abhiṣeka)
• अभिषेचयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); उपसर्गः: अभि-; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: Oṃ (praṇava); “Śiva” (name/mantra)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is approached through mantra and devotion: bathing the Deity with Praṇava (Oṁ) and Śiva-mantra sanctifies the worshipper’s mind, aligning the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) for grace and purification.

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

The instruction is a direct ritual cue for saguna-upāsanā—serving Śiva in a worshippable form (commonly the Liṅga) through abhiṣeka. The Praṇava functions as the seed of Vedic worship, making the external rite an inner recollection of Śiva’s supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva abhiṣeka using clean, specially prepared offering-water (arghya-udaka) while repeatedly chanting Oṁ (Praṇava) and Śiva’s name/mantra—turning the bathing rite into steady japa and focused bhakti.