Shloka 12

Vāyu-jaya (Prāṇa-vijaya) and Yogic Mastery over Time — वायुजय (प्राणविजय) तथा कालजय

Devanagari script

यो द्विजः कल्यमुत्थाय प्राणायामैकमाचरेत् । सर्वं पापं निहंत्याशु ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति

Transliteration

yo dvijaḥ kalyamutthāya prāṇāyāmaikamācaret | sarvaṃ pāpaṃ nihaṃtyāśu brahmalokaṃ sa gacchati

Translation

That twice-born person who rises at the auspicious time of dawn and performs even a single practice of prāṇāyāma quickly destroys all sin and attains Brahmaloka.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कल्यम्: in the morning
• कल्यम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative) अर्थे 'प्रातः/प्रभाते' (in the morning)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having risen)

• प्राणायाम-एकम्: one (round of) prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायाम-एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'एकः प्राणायामः'

• आचरेत्: should practice
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पापम् इति)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निहन्ति: destroys
• निहन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'ब्रह्मणः लोकः'

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गच्छति: goes, attains
• गच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s yogic teaching as preserved in the Umāsaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents prāṇāyāma at dawn as a powerful purifier: disciplined regulation of prāṇa burns impurity (pāpa) and elevates the seeker toward higher spiritual attainment, preparing the mind for Shiva-oriented realization.

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

Prāṇāyāma steadies the senses and concentrates the mind, making Linga worship and Saguna Shiva meditation more effective; it functions as an inner purification that supports outer pūjā and mantra-japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Rise at dawn (brahma-muhūrta) and perform at least one round of prāṇāyāma with mindful breath regulation, ideally followed by Shiva mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī) and focused meditation.