Shloka 37

Sarasvatī-avatāra-prasaṅgaḥ

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

Devanagari script

अविनाशि परं धाम मायातीतं परात्परम् । श्रुतयो वर्णयन्ते यत्त द्रूपन्तु ममैव हि

Transliteration

avināśi paraṃ dhāma māyātītaṃ parātparam | śrutayo varṇayante yatta drūpantu mamaiva hi

Translation

That imperishable Supreme Abode—beyond Māyā and higher than the highest—which the Vedas (Śrutis) describe: that very reality is indeed my own form.

Word by Word

• avināśi: imperishable
• avināśi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avināśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (‘imperishable’)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• dhāma: abode / splendor
• dhāma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• māyā-atītam: beyond māyā
• māyā-atītam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (अतीत, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मायाम् अतीतम्)

• parāt-param: beyond the supreme
• parāt-param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāt (para, प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (परात् परम् = beyond the beyond)

• śrutayaḥ: the Vedas / scriptures
• śrutayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• varṇayante: describe
• varṇayante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: varṇ (वर्ण् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• tat: that
• tat: Pratipādya (प्रतिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्-प्रत्यय (correlative)

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Pratipādya (प्रतिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• eva: only / indeed
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: ‘only/indeed’)

• hi: for / indeed
• hi: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतुद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ निपात (particle indicating reason/emphasis)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas (Shruti)
• Maya

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as the imperishable Supreme Reality (Pati) who transcends Māyā, affirming that the highest Vedic teaching ultimately points to Shiva’s own essential nature as the supreme abode and goal of liberation.

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

While it speaks of Shiva beyond Māyā (nirguṇa, parātpara), Shaiva tradition approaches that same truth through saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga—so the devotee worships the manifest symbol to realize the unmanifest, Veda-proclaimed Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as māyātīta (beyond Māyā) while repeating the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” using liṅga-dhyāna or inner contemplation to shift from external form to the realization of Shiva as the imperishable Supreme Abode.