Shloka 19

Devanagari script

एकोनेकत्वमापन्नो निर्गुणो हि गुणान्वितः । ज्योत्स्नया यो विभाति परज्योत्स्नान्वितोऽभवत्

Transliteration

ekonekatvamāpanno nirguṇo hi guṇānvitaḥ | jyotsnayā yo vibhāti parajyotsnānvito'bhavat

Translation

He who is truly without attributes (nirguṇa) nevertheless becomes endowed with attributes (saguṇa) for the sake of revelation; though One, He assumes manifoldness. Like the moon that shines by reflected moonlight, He appears accompanied by a higher, transcendent Light.

Word by Word

• एक-अनेकत्वम्: oneness-and-manifoldness (state of being one and many)
• एक-अनेकत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + अनेकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective dvandva)

• आपन्नः: having attained
• आपन्नः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपद् (धातु) → आपन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्गुणः: quality-less
• निर्गुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-पूर्वक विशेषण (without qualities)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• गुण-अन्वितः: endowed with qualities
• गुण-अन्वितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ज्योत्स्नया: by/with moonlight
• ज्योत्स्नया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योत्स्ना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• विभाति: shines
• विभाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• पर-ज्योत्स्ना-अन्वितः: endowed with higher/supreme radiance
• पर-ज्योत्स्ना-अन्वितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + ज्योत्स्ना + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the teaching within the Rudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: manifestation of saguṇa from nirguṇa for revelation/experience

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, the supreme Pati, is beyond all guṇas (nirguṇa) yet compassionately manifests with knowable qualities (saguṇa) so bound souls (paśu) can approach Him and attain liberation.

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

Though Śiva is ultimately transcendent, He becomes accessible through saguṇa forms—especially the Liṅga—where the devotee worships the manifest presence while contemplating the higher, formless Light behind it.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner Light (para-jyoti) while performing external worship—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—uniting form-based devotion with formless contemplation.