Shloka 7

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

ज्ञानगम्योहमात्मज्ञो वेदांतश्रुतिपारगैः । विना ज्ञानेन मां प्राप्तुं यतन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः

Transliteration

jñānagamyohamātmajño vedāṃtaśrutipāragaiḥ | vinā jñānena māṃ prāptuṃ yatante cālpabuddhayaḥ

Translation

“I am attainable through true knowledge; I am the Knower of the Self, realized by those who have crossed to the far shore of the Upaniṣadic Vedānta. Yet without knowledge, the small-minded strive to reach Me in vain.”

Word by Word

• ज्ञानगम्यः: attainable by knowledge
• ज्ञानगम्यः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + गम्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गम्य’ = to be reached/known; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानेन गम्यः = attainable by knowledge)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आत्मज्ञः: knower of the Self
• आत्मज्ञः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + ज्ञ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मानं जानाति = knower of the Self)

• वेदान्तश्रुतिपारगैः: by those versed in Vedānta-śruti
• वेदान्तश्रुतिपारगैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदान्त + श्रुति + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (वेदान्तस्य श्रुतेः पारगाः = those who have gone to the far shore of Vedānta-śruti); करण/सहायकत्वे तृतीया

• विना: without
• विना: निपात (Prepositional particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोग/अभाववाचक-अव्यय (preposition/adverb: without)

• ज्ञानेन: by knowledge
• ज्ञानेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्तुम्: to attain
• प्राप्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘प्राप्तुम्’ = to attain

• यतन्ते: they strive
• यतन्ते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अल्पबुद्धयः: the dull-witted
• अल्पबुद्धयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्प + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अल्पा बुद्धिर्येषां ते = those of little understanding)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

Shiva declares that liberation-oriented realization is grounded in ātma-jñāna (Self-knowledge) taught by Vedānta; mere effort without inner awakening cannot culminate in true attainment of Pati (the Lord).

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

Liṅga worship supports concentration and purity, but Shiva here emphasizes that external approach must mature into inner knowledge—recognizing the same Shiva as the indwelling Self, beyond form (nirguṇa) even while approached in form (saguṇa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with contemplation on Shiva as the Self, supported by daily purification such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and steady meditation aimed at awakening jñāna.