Shloka 24

Śiva-jñāna and the Non-dual Vision of a Śiva-maya Universe (शिवज्ञानम्—सर्वं शिवमयम्)

Devanagari script

अल्पमूल्यं प्रजायेत तथा जीवोऽप्यहंयुतः

Transliteration

alpamūlyaṃ prajāyeta tathā jīvo'pyahaṃyutaḥ

Translation

If a thing is obtained for a paltry price, its value is regarded as small; likewise, the jīva too—when yoked to egoism, the sense of “I”—becomes diminished in spiritual worth.

Word by Word

• अल्पमूल्यम्: of little value
• अल्पमूल्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + मूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अल्पं मूल्यं यस्य/अल्प-मूल्य = ‘of little value’)

• प्रजायेत: would arise/be born
• प्रजायेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• जीवः: the jīva
• जीवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अहंयुतः: endowed with ego (‘I’-sense)
• अहंयुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अहं-युत = ‘joined with I-ness/ego’); ‘युत’ = युज्-धातोः क्त (joined)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that the jīva’s true dignity is obscured by ahaṅkāra; spiritual worth rises when the ‘I’-sense is surrendered to Shiva, the Pati (Lord) who frees the bound soul.

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee in humility and self-offering; by approaching Saguna Shiva with reverence rather than ego, the jīva’s contracted identity relaxes and devotion becomes purifying.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with bhāva of surrender, and adopt a daily discipline of Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and self-inquiry to drop the ‘I am the doer’ attitude.