Shloka 17

गौरीप्रवेशः—शिवसाक्षात्कारः

Gaurī’s Entry and the Vision of Śiva

Devanagari script

विद्याप्रत्यायिका त्वं मे वेद्यो ऽहं प्रत्ययात्तव । विद्यावेद्यात्मनोरेव विश्लेषः कथमावयोः

Transliteration

vidyāpratyāyikā tvaṃ me vedyo 'haṃ pratyayāttava | vidyāvedyātmanoreva viśleṣaḥ kathamāvayoḥ

Translation

You are the very Knowledge that makes realization arise in me; and I am the One to be known through your awakening insight. If knowledge and the knowable are truly of one essence, how could there be any separation between us?

Word by Word

• विद्याप्रत्यायिका: one who conveys knowledge
• विद्याप्रत्यायिका: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या + प्रत्यायिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः विद्या + प्रत्यायिका (तत्पुरुषः); विशेषणम् (त्वम्)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मे: for me/of me
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic

• वेद्यः: knowable
• वेद्यः: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ण्यत्/gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be known/knowable’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रत्ययात्: from cognition/conviction
• प्रत्ययात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• विद्यावेद्यात्मनोः: of knowledge and the knowable self
• विद्यावेद्यात्मनोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या + वेद्य + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन; समासः विद्या + वेद्य + आत्मन् (समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-भावेन ‘विद्या-वेद्य-आत्मन्’); ‘of knowledge and the knowable-self’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic/only)

• विश्लेषः: separation
• विश्लेषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्लेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• आवयोः: of us two/between us
• आवयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the supreme teacher in the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā philosophical dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No jyotirliṅga setting; the verse is a jñāna-teaching: Śiva as the knowable (vedya) revealed by Śakti as vidyā that produces certitude (pratyaya).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true spiritual knowledge (vidyā) and the Supreme to be known (Shiva as the knowable Reality) are not ultimately separate; realization dissolves the sense of difference and points toward liberation.

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

Linga worship begins with form (saguṇa upāsanā) to generate inner certainty; as insight matures, the devotee recognizes Shiva as the one Reality revealed through knowledge—so the outer symbol leads to inner non-separation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both the revealer (knowledge) and the revealed (knowable), repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to stabilize pratyaya (firm inner certitude) until the sense of separation falls away.