Shloka 12

Garbha-sthiti, Deha-pariṇāma, and Vairāgya-upadeśa

Embryonic Condition, Bodily Transformation, and Instruction in Detachment

Devanagari script

रक्ताल्लोमानि मांसं च केशाः स्नायुश्च मांसतः । स्नायुतश्च तथास्थीनि नखा मज्जास्थिसंभवाः

Transliteration

raktāllomāni māṃsaṃ ca keśāḥ snāyuśca māṃsataḥ | snāyutaśca tathāsthīni nakhā majjāsthisaṃbhavāḥ

Translation

From blood arise the body-hairs and the flesh; from the flesh come the head-hairs and the sinews (snāyu). From the sinews arise the bones, and the nails are produced from marrow (majjā) and bone. (Knowing thus the body’s compounded nature, the seeker turns the mind toward Śiva, the Lord beyond bondage.)

Word by Word

• रक्तात्: from blood
• रक्तात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• लोमानि: hairs (body-hair)
• लोमानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मांसम्: flesh
• मांसम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

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

• केशाः: head-hairs
• केशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• स्नायुः: sinew/ligament
• स्नायुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• मांसतः: from flesh
• मांसतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), अर्थः ‘-तः/from’

• स्नायुतः: from sinew
• स्नायुतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्नायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), अर्थः ‘-तः/from’

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अस्थीनि: bones
• अस्थीनि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• नखाः: nails
• नखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मज्जा-अस्थि-सम्भवाः: arising from marrow and bone
• मज्जा-अस्थि-सम्भवाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मज्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देशः ‘मज्जास्थिभ्यां सम्भवाः’ (born from marrow and bone)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-saṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment (viveka) by showing the body as a compounded product of impure elements, encouraging dispassion and directing the seeker toward Śiva—the Pati who liberates the bound soul (paśu) from pasha (bondage).

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

By reducing attachment to the body’s outer form, the devotee becomes fit for focused Linga-worship—seeing the Linga as the stable, sacred support for meditation on Śiva beyond changing bodily constituents.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice body-disidentification alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady Linga-dhyāna; this verse supports vairāgya that strengthens mantra and meditation.