Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

समाकुंच्याभ्यसेद्योगी रसनां तालुकं प्रति । किंचित्कालांतरेणैव क्रमात्प्राप्नोति लंबिकाम्

Transliteration

samākuṃcyābhyasedyogī rasanāṃ tālukaṃ prati | kiṃcitkālāṃtareṇaiva kramātprāpnoti laṃbikām

Translation

By repeatedly contracting and training the tongue toward the palate, the yogin—after some time—gradually attains mastery over the lambikā (uvula).

Word by Word

• समाकुञ्च्य: having contracted (drawn in)
• समाकुञ्च्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√कुञ्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable), धातु: √कुञ्च् (to contract) with उपसर्ग सम्+आ

• अभ्यसेत्: should practice
• अभ्यसेत्: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); धातु: √अस् (to be) with उपसर्ग अभि; अर्थे: अभ्यासं कुर्यात् (should practice)

• योगी: the yogi
• योगी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• रसनाम्: the tongue
• रसनाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• तालुकम्: the palate
• तालुकम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative-sense goal with prati)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तालुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: दिशा/सम्प्रदानार्थ-निदेशक (direction marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable), अर्थ: towards/against

• किञ्चित्: a little
• किञ्चित्: विशेषण (modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (quantifier indeclinable): a little/somewhat

• काल-अन्तरेण: after some time-interval
• काल-अन्तरेण: कालाधिकरण/हेतु-निमित्त (temporal instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कालस्य अन्तरम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), एकवचन; अर्थ: after an interval of time

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — emphasis/only/indeed

• क्रमात्: gradually, step by step
• क्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी (5th case/Ablative), एकवचन; अर्थ: gradually/in due order (ablative of manner)

• प्राप्नोति: attains/reaches
• प्राप्नोति: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present Indicative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: √आप् (to obtain) with उपसर्ग प्र

• लम्बिकाम्: the uvula/pendant (lambikā)
• लम्बिकाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Umā/Devī in the Umāsaṃhitā’s yogic discourse, as relayed in the Purāṇic narration)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights disciplined bodily training as a support for inner stillness—showing that, under Shiva’s guidance, yoga proceeds step-by-step (kramāt) toward mastery of the senses, which aids meditation and the Shaiva aim of liberation through Shiva’s grace.

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

Such yogic discipline is presented as an auxiliary (aṅga) to Saguna Shiva worship: steadiness of breath and senses makes japa, dhyāna, and linga-upāsanā more focused, so devotion matures into inward absorption directed to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative yogic practice of training the tongue toward the palate (linked in later yoga traditions with khecarī-related control of the soft-palate/uvula region), undertaken gradually and carefully as part of disciplined meditation alongside Shiva-mantra remembrance.