Shloka 37

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

टादिपंचाक्षरं पादास्तादिपंचाक्षरं तथा । पकार उदरं तस्य फकारः पार्श्व उच्यते

Transliteration

ṭādipaṃcākṣaraṃ pādāstādipaṃcākṣaraṃ tathā | pakāra udaraṃ tasya phakāraḥ pārśva ucyate

Translation

The group of five syllables beginning with “ṭa” are placed in the feet; likewise, the group of five syllables beginning with “ta” are placed there. The syllable “pa” is declared to be His belly, and the syllable “pha” is said to be His side (flank).

Word by Word

• टादिपञ्चाक्षरम्: the five syllables beginning with ṭa
• टादिपञ्चाक्षरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: टादि + पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'टादि पञ्च अक्षरम्' (the five-syllable set beginning with ṭa)

• पादाः: feet
• पादाः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/अधिकरण-निर्देश), बहुवचन

• तादिपञ्चाक्षरम्: the five syllables beginning with ta
• तादिपञ्चाक्षरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तादि + पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'तादि पञ्च अक्षरम्' (the five-syllable set beginning with ta)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• पकारः: the letter/sound pa
• पकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• उदरम्: belly/abdomen
• उदरम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• फकारः: the letter/sound pha
• फकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• पार्श्वम्: side/flank
• पार्श्वम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Mantra Metadata

Type: kavaca

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Stabilization (sthiti) motif: installing syllables in feet/abdomen suggests grounding the mantra-deity in the sādhaka’s embodied field.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-śarīra-bhāvanā (visualizing the mantra as Shiva’s living form): placing syllable-groups on limbs sanctifies the practitioner’s body as a fit vessel for Shiva’s grace, aligning the finite self (paśu) toward Pati (Shiva).

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

Nyāsa supports saguna-upāsanā by giving the devotee a concrete, embodied way to approach Shiva—treating the mantra as Shiva’s manifested form and the worshipper’s body as a temple, complementing Linga worship and mantra-japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform kara-nyāsa/anga-nyāsa (placing designated syllables on specific limbs) before japa of Shiva-mantras; then continue with steady repetition and inner visualization of Shiva pervading the body.