Shloka 37

Lokapramāṇa–Grahamaṇḍala–Dhruvaloka-vyavasthā

Cosmic Measures and the Arrangement of the Heavenly Spheres

Devanagari script

परात्परा हि प्रकृती रजस्सत्त्वतमोमयी । निर्गुणा च स्वयं देवी निर्विकारा शिवात्मिका

Transliteration

parātparā hi prakṛtī rajassattvatamomayī | nirguṇā ca svayaṃ devī nirvikārā śivātmikā

Translation

Prakṛti, the primordial Power, is indeed higher than the high, constituted of rajas, sattva, and tamas; yet that very Goddess, in her essential reality, is beyond the guṇas—changeless, and of the very nature of Śiva.

Word by Word

• parāt-parā: higher than the highest
• parāt-parā: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāt (पर-प्रातिपदिक; ablative base) + parā (परा-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; comparative/superlative sense “higher than the high” (परात् परा)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) for emphasis/indeed

• prakṛtī: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• prakṛtī: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रकृति-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• rajaḥ-sattva-tamaḥ-mayī: made of rajas, sattva, and tamas
• rajaḥ-sattva-tamaḥ-mayī: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rajas (रजस्-प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (सत्त्व-प्रातिपदिक) + tamas (तमस्-प्रातिपदिक) + mayī (मयी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; compound meaning “consisting of rajas, sattva, and tamas” (मयट्-प्रत्ययार्थ)

• nirguṇā: without qualities
• nirguṇā: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (निर्गुण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• svayam: herself
• svayam: Karta-visheṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण/emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), reflexive adverb (स्वयम्)

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता/subject; apposition to prakṛtī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (देवी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nirvikārā: unchanging
• nirvikārā: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirvikāra (निर्विकार-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• śiva-ātmikā: of the nature of Śiva
• śiva-ātmikā: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (शिव-प्रातिपदिक) + ātmikā (आत्मिक/आत्मिका-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; compound: śivasya ātmā yasyāḥ sā (शिवस्य आत्मा यस्याः सा) / “of the nature of Śiva”

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that while cosmic Prakṛti operates through the three guṇas, Devī’s highest essence is nirguṇa and immutable—non-different from Śiva—pointing the seeker toward liberation beyond guṇa-bound experience.

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

Linga worship supports devotion and concentration on Śiva with attributes (saguṇa) while guiding the mind toward the truth stated here: the ultimate Śiva-Śakti reality is beyond guṇas and change (nirguṇa), which is the goal of realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva-Śakti as nirvikāra (changeless) using japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” letting awareness move from guṇa-driven thoughts to steady, guṇa-transcending stillness.