Shloka 22

Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body

Devanagari script

शङ्कर उवाच । शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि योगिनां हितकाम्यया । परज्ञानप्रकथनं न देयं यस्य कस्यचित्

Transliteration

śaṅkara uvāca | śṛṇu devi pravakṣyāmi yogināṃ hitakāmyayā | parajñānaprakathanaṃ na deyaṃ yasya kasyacit

Translation

Shankara said: “Listen, O Goddess. Seeking the welfare of yogins, I shall explain this. But the teaching of the supreme knowledge must not be given indiscriminately to just anyone.”

Word by Word

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्र

• योगिनाम्: of yogins
• योगिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हितकाम्यया: with the desire for (their) welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु/Means-Motive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘desiring welfare’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेतौ (for the sake of)

• परज्ञानप्रकथनम्: the exposition of supreme knowledge
• परज्ञानप्रकथनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + ज्ञान + प्रकथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Obligatory action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य: ‘to be given’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• यस्य: of whom
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कस्यचित्: of anyone whatsoever
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चित-प्रश्नवाचक (indefinite pronoun); पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Shankara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

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 liberating knowledge (parajñāna) is sacred and must be transmitted with discernment—only to a fit seeker—so that yoga leads to true welfare and liberation rather than confusion or misuse.

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

In Shaiva practice, Saguna worship (Linga-pūjā, mantra, devotion) purifies and qualifies the seeker; only then is the subtler teaching of Shiva’s highest truth properly received and assimilated.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies adhikāra (eligibility): steady yoga, disciplined conduct, and devotional observances—such as mantra-japa (e.g., Panchākṣarī), worship with bhasma and rudrāksha—so the seeker becomes fit for higher instruction.