Shloka 19

ब्रह्माण्डदान-प्रशंसा तथा ब्रह्माण्ड-प्रमाण-वर्णनम्

Praise of the Gift of the Cosmic Egg and Description of the Brahmāṇḍa’s Measure

Devanagari script

तस्य वीर्यप्रभावश्च साकांक्षैस्त्रिदशैरपि । न हि वर्णयितुं शक्यः स्वरूपं ज्ञातुमेव वा

Transliteration

tasya vīryaprabhāvaśca sākāṃkṣaistridaśairapi | na hi varṇayituṃ śakyaḥ svarūpaṃ jñātumeva vā

Translation

Even the thirty-three gods, though eager to know, are unable to describe His majesty and power; indeed, they cannot truly know His essential nature.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वीर्य-प्रभावः: power and splendor
• वीर्य-प्रभावः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—‘वीर्यं च प्रभावः च’ (power and majesty)

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

• स-आकाङ्क्षैः: with longing/expectation
• स-आकाङ्क्षैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थक) + आकाङ्क्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः—‘आकाङ्क्षया सह’ (together with desire/expectation), qualifying ‘त्रिदशैः’

• त्रिदशैः: by the gods
• त्रिदशैः: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; ‘to describe’

• शक्यः: possible
• शक्यः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शक् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तव्य/यत्-भाव (able/possible) — impersonal sense ‘it is possible’

• स्वरूपम्: true form/nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञातुम्: to know
• ज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; ‘to know’

• एव: even/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (restrictive particle: only/just)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas (Tridasha)

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord whose true nature transcends limited intellect and even divine categories; liberation arises through grace and devotion rather than mere conceptual knowledge.

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

Because Śiva’s svarūpa is beyond description (nirguṇa), devotees approach Him through accessible saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga, names, and forms—symbols that lead the mind toward the transcendent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva’s immeasurability while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humble surrender; let mantra-japa and liṅga-pūjā replace argumentative speculation.