Shloka 18

छायापुरुषलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of the Marks of the Shadow-Person

Devanagari script

अवर्णा वर्णसंयुक्ता प्रोच्यते बिंदुमालिनी । तां पश्यन्सर्वदा योगी कृतकृत्योऽभिजायते

Transliteration

avarṇā varṇasaṃyuktā procyate biṃdumālinī | tāṃ paśyansarvadā yogī kṛtakṛtyo'bhijāyate

Translation

That supreme power which is beyond all letters yet united with all letters is called Bindu-mālinī, the Garland of Bindu. The yogin who continually beholds that reality becomes fulfilled—his human purpose accomplished.

Word by Word

• avarṇā: without color/without letters
• avarṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• varṇa-saṃyuktā: joined with letters/colors
• varṇa-saṃyuktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• procyate: is said/is called
• procyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bindu-mālinī: Bindu-mālinī (she who has a garland/series of bindus)
• bindu-mālinī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bindu (प्रातिपदिक) + mālinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• paśyan: seeing
• paśyan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with yogī

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• yogī: a yogin
• yogī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛta-kṛtyaḥ: one who has accomplished what is to be done
• kṛta-kṛtyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of yogī

• abhijāyate: is born/comes to be
• abhijāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + jan (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Middle voice/Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Uma/Parvati in the Umāsaṃhitā’s yogic-philosophical discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames liberation as ‘darśana’ of the subtle Mālinī/Bindu principle—an inner pilgrimage culminating in kṛtakṛtyatā (spiritual completion).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It points to the supreme Shaiva reality as transcending speech and symbols (avarṇā) while also being the source and support of all mantra and sound (varṇasaṃyuktā). Steady inner vision of that bindu-principle ripens into liberation-oriented fulfillment.

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

The verse links external, letter-based worship (mantra, names, forms) to the subtle inner linga—bindu as the seed of manifestation. Saguna devotion and mantra lead inward to the nirguna depth that the yogin ‘beholds’ as pure consciousness-power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A contemplative practice of dhyāna on bindu—often supported by japa of Shiva-mantra (such as the Panchakshara) and one-pointed concentration—so the practitioner moves from sound (varṇa) to its silent source (bindu).