Shloka 28

Sarasvatī-avatāra-prasaṅgaḥ

Account of Sarasvatī’s Manifestation and the Humbling of the Devas

Devanagari script

परं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः प्रणवद्वन्द्वरूपिणी । अहमेवास्मि सकलं मदन्यो नास्ति कश्चन

Transliteration

paraṃ brahma paraṃ jyotiḥ praṇavadvandvarūpiṇī | ahamevāsmi sakalaṃ madanyo nāsti kaścana

Translation

I am the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Light, whose very form is the sacred Pranava (Oṃ) with its paired aspects. I alone am all that exists; apart from Me there is no one whatsoever.

Word by Word

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; qualifies brahma

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Pratijñā/Predicate nominal (प्रत्ययार्थः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; qualifies jyotiḥ

• jyotiḥ: light; radiance
• jyotiḥ: Pratijñā/Predicate nominal (प्रत्ययार्थः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular

• praṇava-dvandva-rūpiṇī: she whose form is the praṇava-dvandva
• praṇava-dvandva-rūpiṇī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + dvandva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular; compound meaning ‘having the form of the praṇava-dvandva’

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular

• eva: indeed; alone
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sakalam: the entire; all
• sakalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular; object-complement ‘the whole (all)’

• mat: than me
• mat: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (asmad-षष्ठी/पञ्चमी-आदेश)
• Form: Ablative sense base ‘from me’; used in compound with anya; (पञ्चमी-अर्थ)

• anyaḥ: another
• anyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular; with mat = ‘other than me’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेधः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• asti: exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaścana: anyone (at all)
• kaścana: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cana (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक + निपात)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘anyone’ (with negation = ‘no one’)

Speaker

Goddess Uma (Parvati) speaking as the supreme Shakti revealing non-dual reality

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: प्रणव (Oṃ)

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Brahman
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It declares the highest reality as the all-pervading Supreme Light, identifying the source of the cosmos with the Pranava (Oṃ) and affirming that nothing exists independent of that Supreme.

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

While pointing to the nirguṇa (formless) absolute, it supports saguna worship by treating sacred symbols—especially Oṃ and the Linga—as gateways through which the devotee contemplates and realizes the same supreme, all-inclusive Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Oṃ (Pranava-japa) with the understanding that the Supreme Light alone pervades all; this can be paired with Panchakshara japa (Om Namah Shivaya) as a Shaiva discipline for inner absorption.